South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

3. Mrs L complains on 1 March 2024, the Trust failed to provide appropriate care to her husband Mr L. She says:

• several telephone calls to the Trust for an ambulance were categorised incorrectly • the Trust took nearly three hours to send an ambulance for her husband

4. Mrs L says the incorrect categorisation of her telephone calls to the Trust led directly to a delay in treatment for her husband. She believes the delay in sending an ambulance caused irreparable damage to his heart.

5. To resolve her complaint, Mrs L would like a financial remedy. She would also like an acknowledgment of failings and service improvements.

8. The law says we cannot investigate a complaint where a person has the option to take legal action, unless we consider it unreasonable for them to do so. Our decision is not based on how successful legal action would be, but on whether it is a reasonable option for someone to pursue.

9. We discussed this with Mrs L to understand her circumstances and the outcomes she is seeking. Mrs L explained that she is seeking a financial remedy, acknowledgement of failings and service improvements. She also confirmed that she has instructed a firm of solicitors and is currently pursuing a clinical negligence claim. She says she is currently awaiting a legal opinion on her case.

10. We recognise Mrs L is seeking mixed outcomes, not only a financial remedy. It is possible the other outcomes she seeks could also be addressed through the legal process, depending on how that process develops. This is something Mrs L may wish to explore further with her solicitor.

11. We have considered the law, we note Mrs L not only has the option to take legal action but is actively doing so. For this reason, we have decided not to consider her complaint further.

12. From speaking to Mrs L, it is clear what happened to Mr L had a profound impact on her life. We acknowledge how important this complaint is to her and we thank her for bringing it to us and for speaking with us so openly about what happened.

1. We thank Mrs L for bringing her complaint to us. We are sorry and incredibly saddened to have read about what happened. We extend our condolences to Mrs L and her family on the loss of Mr L. We understand how important this complaint is to them.

2. We have decided not to consider Mrs L’s complaint any further, as she is currently pursuing legal action. We explain the reasons for our decision below.