Ambulance Services : Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust

Mr V complained that the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust failed to issue a full response to his complaint concerning his 93-year-old mother waiting 16 hours for an ambulance to arrive. During that time incorrect information was given, arrival times kept changing, and laying on the floor for such a long period of time caused a build-up in toxins in his mother’s kidneys which contributed to her death.

The Ombudsman found that whilst the Trust issued a preliminary response, it failed to notify Mr V that it was also undertaking a joint investigation with the Health Board to provide a full response. She said this caused additional frustration and inconvenience to Mr V.

The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation and sought the Trust’s agreement to issue its full response within two weeks along with an apology for failing to inform him that a joint investigation was ongoing.