Kim Page is taking legal action against the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Private Ambulance Service Ltd after her husband Gary died from a heart attack that was misdiagnosed by a private ambulance crew. The 54-year-old from Laindon, Essex, died in February after calling NHS 111 for chest and arm pain.
An internal investigation by the trust found a series of failures, describing the crew leader as 'complacent' for ignoring concerns raised by a junior colleague. A coroner also identified 'serious failings' in Mr Page's care. The trust has apologised to Mrs Page.
On the night of his death, Mr Page was assessed by a private ambulance crew because NHS resources were stretched. The most senior crew member, emergency technician Lauren de la Haye, had only received her qualification certificate days earlier. Despite an abnormal ECG reading, she told Mr Page he was not having a heart attack and suggested he might have pulled a muscle or had indigestion.
Mrs Page said the crew repeatedly told her husband that if he went to hospital he would face a 10-hour wait. He eventually signed a form declining hospital treatment. The crew left without advising what to do if symptoms continued. Mr Page died 10 hours after his symptoms began, just minutes from a specialist heart unit.
The case has raised concerns about the increasing use of private ambulances for emergency calls. Mrs Page is seeking damages for negligence, saying she wants to ensure no other family suffers the same loss.
