An inquiry has been promised into the tragic case of a young Mearns mother whose death triggered a community drive for valuable medical equipment.
Mum-of-two Amy Wilson collapsed and died at a Laurencekirk coffee morning last November, just weeks away from giving birth to her son, Harry, who also did not survive after she was taken ill.
As a Stars in the Sky fundraising push to equip the town with more defibrillators continues, Health Secretary Alex Neil has now said questions which remain over the tragedy will be examined.
Although the exact cause of oil worker Amy’s death remains unknown, her mother, Rita, remains concerned about the length of time it took for emergency crews to arrive after her 31-year-old daughter took ill, and the lack of community first responders.
The ambulance service said it took 15 minutes for crews to arrive, although some at the scene claimed it was longer.
It is thought Amy may have suffered from a rare genetic condition that tests have yet to detect as the cause of her death, and although Mrs Wilson said she is not seeking to blame anyone for the tragedy, she hopes something positive may come from any inquiry.
“People in rural communities need to have a chance, not just a slim chance, but the best of chances,” she said. “If the investigation finds that something needs to be improved, then that is a better outcome for everybody.”
Mrs Wilson raised the issue with North East MSP Alex Johnstone, who has been told by Mr Neil that the areas of concern will be looked at.
Mr Neil said: “This will cover the ambulance response, the availability of the local first responders and other factors which may be relevant, including the feasibility of installing a public access defibrillator in Laurencekirk.”
Mr Johnstone said: “It is conceivable that the Scottish Ambulance Service did narrowly fulfil their commitment. If at the end of the process we discover there were flaws, then that takes us into a whole different area.”
An ambulance service spokesman said a senior manager had met Mrs Wilson as part of a case review following the tragedy to “explain the circumstances of the response and express in person our condolences for her loss”.
NHS Grampian has already held talks with the Wilson family and said they would assist fully with any investigation.
In the aftermath of Amy’s tragic passing, friends started a fundraising drive to purchase at least one publicly-accessible defibrillator for the community, and so far more than £5,000 has been gathered.
Supporters of the move to equip the community with defibrillators say it is also crucial that community training is carried out to ensure those who take ill are given the best possible chance of survival.