12-year-old Ffion Jones passed away after she was left waiting for an hour for an ‘eight-minute’ emergency ambulance.
She was brought to her GP’s surgery in Cardiff after her pulse and breathing quickened. Her blood pressure dropped so low that it could no longer be recorded, so her doctor called for an emergency ‘eight-minute’ ambulance to take her to the hospital right away.
However, Ffion and her mom waited an hour before the ambulance arrived. She had already gone into cardiac arrest at that time.
The 12-year-old was then taken to hospital but didn’t regain consciousness. She sadly passed away the next day.
Ffion had an Addison’s Disease, a rare condition where adrenal glands in the kidneys stop functioning
GP Dr. Nicola Leeson from the Rumney Primary Care Centre said: “As they came through the door Ffion said she felt unwell and wanted to lie down on the bed.
“So we assisted her onto the bed. I actually thought she looked quite unwell.”
After some tests, the doctor called for an ambulance as Ffion was dehydrated. She said she had recently received training in requesting ambulances to GP surgeries.
She was told during training that an eight-minute ambulance wouldn’t be provided unless it was for choking, cardiac arrest or a hanging accident.
However, she had been told if she contacted a specialist number she could request for the emergency ambulance.
After making the first call, Dr. Leeson said she was told to call 999.
“I was very disappointed to be told on the new system that the operator was unable to send me an eight-minute ambulance as I requested,” Dr. Leeson explained.
“The operator did say that she was going down the 999 line and she would arrange one for me quickly. I didn’t get the response I was expecting so I was taken aback.”
She kept Ffion lying down and gave her Dioralyte to drink while waiting for the ambulance.
The inquest heard that the girl shortly improved but collapsed in the surgery.
“She was lying on one side, she was unconscious, her pupils were dilated and she was breathing shallowly,” said Dr. Leeson.
The doctor put out a cardiac arrest call and other paramedics assisted. “Just as we were applying the oxygen another receptionist appeared to say that I had to go and confirm it was a real cardiac arrest before the ambulance service would send an ambulance.
“I was obviously slightly distracted by the information I had just been given and was rendered speechless for a few seconds.”
Paramedic Matt Taylor, the first responder, confirmed cardiac arrest and started CPR.
An ambulance arrived 10 minutes later and took the girl to University Hospital of Wales. However, she was pronounced dead the next day after tests failed to detect brain activity.
“My expectation is that yes if we had treated the hypovolemia we would have reduced the chances of an arrest,” said Dr. Malcolm Gajraj.
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