A Perth dad with a brain tumour had a seizure at the side of the road but had to get a lift to hospital because of “increased demand” on ambulances.
Bartosz Maroszek had a seizure on Crieff Road last week.
Despite two calls for an ambulance and a wait of over 30 minutes at the side of the road, he then had to get a lift from a friend to hospital.
His story comes as Scottish Government Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced new ambulance driver recruits ahead of a ‘challenging winter’.
The 35-year-old dad said he was left in shock and is calling for answers.
Bartosz was diagnosed with a brain tumour in August and underwent surgery at the end of the same month.
He said: “Although I was in surgery for hours, they couldn’t remove it all and I’ve still got about a third left in my brain.
“It’s incurable. It’s not easy and I’m so stressed.”
Despite everything he’s been through, Bartosz was advised by the neurosurgeon he could still have some level of independence.
He wears medical wristbands and makes sure if he ventures out he is in crowded places.
A seizure on Crieff Road
“That day I had gone to Asda to pick up my medications and decided to walk home down the main road,” he said.
“I started experiencing an aura – a warning a seizure is coming that changes my senses – and that’s the last I remember because I lost consciousness.
“A lady from a nearby shop came to help and put me in the recovery position and luckily a friend was passing and noticed me so they called for an ambulance.
“They were told there could be a wait, not to touch me but to put something around my head.
“Once I regained consciousness they said don’t move the ambulance will be on its way.”
No sign of the ambulance
But after 30 to 40 minutes, there was still no sign of the ambulance.
Bartosz asked his friend to call 999.
“I had my CHI hospital number. I said to tell them I’d just had brain surgery, that I was due to start radiotherapy and the details of my medication,” he added.
“They said there was no ambulance available and that if I was conscious and they had a car they could bring me to hospital.”
Bartosz was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary where he was checked and given a CT scan.
“Luckily the scan was clear and thankfully I didn’t bump my head.
“The doctors also consulted with neurology at Ninewells and said they would raise the dose of my anti-seizure medication.”
Bartosz added: “But I’m more worried now. I keep thinking what if something happens to me?
“I’ve been told if I have a seizure which lasts more than a few minutes it could put my life at risk and that an ambulance should be called.
“But what if the ambulance never comes?”
‘Priority-based system’
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said their priority-based system of dispatch ensures emergency ambulances are available to respond to the most serious and life-threatening cases in the first instance.
They apply a ‘coded response level’ in response to information provided by the caller.
“This is so we can accurately identify patients with immediately life-threatening conditions, such as cardiac arrest,” they added.
Increased ambulance demand in Perth
“On Tuesday 4 October, we were experiencing an increase in demand in the area.
“We will always try to get to patients as soon as we can but on this occasion, the caller advised they would take the patient to hospital.
“We’d like to apologise for the delay and we hope the patient is recovering well.”
Conversation