Ambulance Service Duty of Care

Kent v Griffiths and others (No 2) (CA TLR 10 February)

The claimant suffered an asthma attack and at 16.25 her doctor telephoned for an ambulance to take her “immediately please” to casualty. The control replied: “OK, Doctor”. By 16.38 the ambulance had not arrived so the claimant’s husband made a second call and was assured the ambulance was “well on its way”. At 16.54 the doctor made a third call to be assured the ambulance would be there in “a couple of minutes”. It arrived at 17.05 by which time the claimant had suffered a respiratory arrest. The acceptance of the call in the present case established a duty of care. It was the delay which caused the further injuries. If wrong information had not been given about the arrival of the ambulance, other means of transport could have been used.