Braemar ambulance cover criticised after woman's death

A Braemar family is calling for better ambulance cover for the Aberdeenshire town following the death of a 74-year-woman.

Pam Anderson died of a heart attack in September while being transported by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

It was called after another single-crewed ambulance responded to her case but was unable to take her to hospital.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has agreed to meet her family to discuss the case.

A single-crewed ambulance, or paramedic response unit, can be allocated to incidents where they can initiate treatment.

However, in most cases, a double crew is needed to allow a crew member to be with the patient when heading to hospital.

Braemar's own ambulance was withdrawn in 2007.

Her family said the first ambulance - from Ballater 17 miles away - did not have adequate crew to take her to hospital. She instead had to wait for another one to come from Tomintoul, 31 miles away.

Mrs Anderson's husband Douglas said he did not blame the ambulance crews, who he described as professional, and said they tried everything to save his wife.

"We have no complaints with them, but there have been a few near-misses in the village over the years", he said.

"This is perhaps a sign that we need a better service for Braemar for the future."

Mrs Anderson's daughter, Sarah Christie, said: "My mum was well-liked in the village and would do anything for anybody.

"Her death has brought home to us what a precarious situation we are in in this outlying community.

"We don't know if it could have changed the outcome for mum, but maybe if we get the right resources it could for someone else."

Braemar Community Council is writing to the Scottish Ambulance Service seeking answers.

The Scottish Ambulance Service expressed its "deepest sympathies and condolences" to the family following Mrs Anderson's death.

In a statement it said: "We are limited in what we can say about individual cases due to patient confidentiality but we have been in close contact with the family and have arranged a meeting with them to discuss the case in detail.

"The Braemar area is served by ambulance stations in Ballater, Tomintoul, Alford and Banchory. While these are the stations which are geographically the closest, the ambulance service will always dispatch the closest, most appropriate response.

"The service have a wide range of resources which can be deployed depending on the nature of the incident and the condition of the patient, such as ambulances, paramedic response units, air ambulances, advanced practitioners and community first-responders."