Two Scots have died after waiting hours for ambulances in a three-week period, prompting demands for answers from the Scottish Government over the country's waiting times crisis.
Brian Hurton, 55, dialled 999 twice in ten minutes as he suffered internal bleeding from a torn artery in his heart at his home in East Kilbride last November. His call was logged incorrectly, and paramedics arrived three-and-a-half hours later, finding him dead. His sister spoke out after Julie Parker, also 55, suffered a cardiac arrest in an ambulance she waited almost four hours for in Kilmarnock.
In both cases, ambulance chiefs cited long hospital turnaround times as reducing their ability to respond. The families have now demanded answers from the Scottish Government. The Record's editorial states: 'Too many Scots are being failed by the NHS. We all know too many people are being failed by a health service that simply isn’t coping. Brian and Julie’s deaths must serve as a wake up call that Scotland needs to answer.'
Ambulance Response Failures
An investigation into Brian Hurton's death found that his 999 call was logged incorrectly, leading to a delay of three-and-a-half hours before paramedics arrived. He was alone at home. The probe revealed that the call was not prioritized correctly. Julie Parker's case involved a cardiac arrest while waiting for an ambulance for nearly four hours in Kilmarnock. Both incidents highlight systemic failures in the NHS's ability to respond to emergencies.
Ambulance chiefs have stated that long turnaround times at hospitals reduce their capacity to respond to new calls. The Scottish Government has been called upon to address the waiting times crisis. The Record View editorial emphasizes: 'We have to get a handle on the problems facing our health service - fast - before more lives are lost.'
Rupert Lowe's Dunblane Comments
In a separate issue, Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe described the 1996 Dunblane massacre as 'one murder', sparking outrage. The Record editorial condemns his remarks, stating that 'the reason the UK has such strict laws on gun control is because of the determined work of Dunblane families who doggedly campaigned against the personal ownership of hand guns in the wake of the tragedy.'
The editorial continues: 'Rupert Lowe might not like those rules, but they are there for a reason and enjoy widespread public support. Three decades may have passed since the events of March 1996, but they will never be forgotten. Dunblane families worked hard to ensure some good came from this most awful of tragedies. And that good work cannot be undone by crass right-wing populists like Rupert Lowe.'
