North-east ambulance crews were left “rationing” supplies of lifesaving oxygen after an office blunder
Paramedics claim their portable cylinders of the gas were “running on empty” because staff illness meant no one was available to send an order for replacements.
Moray’s entire stock of oxygen is kept in Elgin, and staff say the shortage affected ambulances across the region.
Mercy workers said tanks were “in the red” and the amount administered to patients with breathing difficulties had to be strictly controlled.
Scottish Ambulance Service bosses insisted last night a “satisfactory” supply of oxygen was maintained, and that patients were never in danger.
But paramedics claimed they had to “scrape by” during the busy festive period, only administering oxygen to those most in need.
And they said the situation left patients across the north-east at risk, as Elgin crews routinely respond to 999 calls from all over Moray and parts of Aberdeenshire.
One claimed: “This highlights the shambles that is the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“We take these tanks to practically every single emergency call we go to, it’s a basic that we have to have.
“Anyone with breathing difficulties or heart problems would require them.”
The tanks, along with ECG machines to record people’s heart rates and defibrillators, are paramedics’ “most essential items”.
They claim it was only through “good luck” that the lack of oxygen supplies did not impact more severely on patients’ welfare.
The paramedic added: “The consequences could have been dire.”
They said the person who would normally have ordered oxygen supplies was off sick and no one else was able to do it.
The Scottish Chest, Heart and Stroke charity said it had raised the issue with ambulance service bosses.
Director of strategy and communications, Mark Ballard said: “We take the safety of people living with our conditions extremely seriously.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service last night tried to allay concerns about the oxygen shortage, which happened between Wednesday, December 28 and Wednesday, January 11.
North division general manager, Milne Weir, said: “The service is satisfied that required levels of oxygen were available over the festive period to ensure patient care and safety.”