Seriously ill man dies just 17 hours after 999 operator hung up on him

A vulnerable man with mental health issues died just 17 hours after a 999 call operator hung up on him. 

Ronald Russell rang for an ambulance but was only found thanks to a neighbour after emergency services staff failed to locate him.

Unfortunately it was too late to save Mr Russell and his family have now released a transcript of the call in a bid to change emergency call procedures. 

The transcript makes clear that the 49-year-old from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, had collapsed and was loudly moaning. 

But the operator keeps asking Mr Russell for his phone number, even though it was automatically displayed, and even checks three times if he wanted an ambulance.

The transcipt suggests Mr Russell would have been able to provide his address in the first seconds of his call but could not remember his phone number. 

Mr Russell, who lived alone, dialled 999 at 5.45pm on July 4, 2017. When asked for his phone number Mr Russell replies ‘Hold on’ and ‘I’ve got this’.

At one point his response is recorded as: ‘Ooooooh ohhh (incomprehensible sound from caller).’ During the three-minuet call, the handler asks if Mr Russell wants an ambulance and says ‘Hello’? five times without getting an answer. 

The handler ends the call despite ‘movement heard in the background’ and a ‘loud background noise’.

Three calls were made in an attempt to get Mr Russell on the phone but there was no follow up by a supervisor to make an attempt at finding the address. 

Tragically, Mr Russell lay for 17 hours until a concerned neighbour overheard his alarm clock, became concerned, and called an ambulance. 

He had suffered a stroke and died later in hospital.

A report from the Scottish Ambulance Service says: ‘It is evident on listening to the call that the call handler can hear noises and moaning. ‘The correct process was followed by providing three calls back, however, due to the call handler knowing that the caller was on the line before it disconnects, there could have been more attempts to confirm the address – or for this to be highlighted to a supervisor. ‘The supervisor stopped the call, whilst the notes were in the call advising that the call handler can hear noise in the background.’

Speaking today Ronald’s sister Margo Cassidy, 52, said: ‘It was really devastating to read that, especially because I think most people imagine that when you phone an ambulance the first thing they will ask is, “Where are you?” ‘We knew he had phoned an ambulance because we had his mobile.

‘When we met with the SAS the first time they told us that it had just been marked up as a silent call, but we got the transcript and when we found out that he was initially able to speak that made me really angry. 

‘He died because of the lack of oxygen to his brain. ‘If you imagine that he had been asked in the first instant where he was, the result could have been totally different.’ 

The SAS said in February, when details of the case first emerged, that asking for a phone number was vital as it allowed handlers to call back should they get disconnected. They added that procedures had been amended for calls with no confirmed location.