A Scottish grandfather died of sepsis after being forced to wait nearly eight hours for an ambulance to take him to hospital.
Electrician Alan Humphrey, 66, from Bearsden, near Glasgow, died on December 21 from sepsis – just two weeks after he was taken to the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The Scottish Government has this week launched an awareness drive for the public and NHS staff following a campaign by the Scottish Daily Mail.
But the campaign came too late for Mr Humphrey’s widow June, who believes he would still be alive today if he had been taken to hospital sooner.
Electrician Alan Humphrey, 66, from Glasgow, died on December 21 from sepsis – just two weeks after he was taken to the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (pictured)
She told The Daily Record: ‘The damage had been done. The hospital did everything they could but it seems he got there too late.’
Mrs Humphrey said her husband had been feeling unwell for a couple of days, and when he saw their local GP he was diagnosed with gastrointestinal flu.
However, his condition quickly worsened.
She said: ‘The doctor came to see him and rang for an ambulance at 4pm but it was 11.45pm before one arrived.
‘I kept phoning but they couldn’t tell me when one would arrive. The first couple of times I called, his condition hadn’t changed. By the third time, they told me he would now be treated as an emergency.
‘An hour-and-a-half later, I called again but it was another hour-and-a-quarter before an ambulance arrived.’
Mrs Humphrey said her husband had all the symptoms of sepsis – a rapid pulse, shivering and a high temperature.
When he finally got to hospital he was given four types on antibiotics and transferred to the intensive care unit but died after the sepsis created a thrombosis in his heart and a bleed on the brain.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘We were experiencing an exceptionally high level of demand which meant it took us longer than we would have liked to reach Mr Humphrey. We will contact Mrs Humphrey to apologise and will conduct a full investigation of the circumstances.’
Sepsis kills someone in Scotland every four hours – more than breast and prostate cancer combined – but early detection and treatment can save lives.
The new £70,000 sepsis awareness campaign will see posters and leaflets sent to pharmacies and GP surgeries as well as adverts in print, radio and social media.
Sepsis is a rare but serious complication of an infection and without quick treatment it can lead to multiple organ failure and death. It can also hit the circulation, which means some patients may have to undergo amputation of hands, feet, legs or arms.
Early symptoms can include a very high or low temperature, uncontrolled shivering, a fast heartbeat or fast breathing, confusion, cold or blotchy hands or feet, and not passing urine as frequently as normal.
The campaign was created with the help of FEAT, Scotland’s Sepsis Charity, founded in memory of Edinburgh GP Dr Fiona Elizabeth Agnew, who died of the condition along with her unborn daughter in 2012.
Her husband, Craig Stobo, who is the charity’s chairman, said: ‘This is a milestone day for sepsis awareness in Scotland.’
He added: ‘We have pressed for the need to raise awareness of this killer condition and are confident that this Scotland-wide campaign will be a game-changer in increasing the public’s understanding of the symptoms of sepsis and the quick action needed to save lives.
‘While we can’t bring back those lost to the condition, we dedicate this campaign to them and pledge to continue working towards the eradication of sepsis.’
The campaign was launched at University Hospital Wishaw, Lanarkshire. Its A&E staff have begun using a ‘sepsis trolley’ stocked with essential equipment – blood testing kits, oxygen and antibiotics – so vital early treatment of patients can begin in minutes.
Such trolleys are expected to be introduced to hospitals across Scotland. NHS Lanarkshire consultant Dr Calum McGregor said: ‘Sepsis can be difficult to recognise, and many of the symptoms can be attributed to other conditions.
‘Five symptoms and signs to be aware of are a change in behaviour such as confusion, cold or blotchy hands and feet, uncontrollable shivering, very high or low temperature, and reduced urine.
‘Recent data suggests that for every hour’s delay in antibiotics, the chances of dying from sepsis increase so it is vital we get people the treatment they need as quickly as possible.’