The parents of a teenager who collapsed at the side of the A9 were left frantically calling for emergency help which never came.
Dad Jim, from Pitlochry, said his son’s lips were turning blue after he passed out in a layby.
With his wife, they called 999 but after 20 minutes were told no ambulance was immediately available.
Eventually, they took their unwell son to a clinic – which was shut – and got him seen by a nurse, by chance.
The frightening example was just one of several raised directly with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Holyrood on Thursday
It was a nightmare from start to finish.
It’s another account of how the Covid crisis has placed the health service under massive pressure, and led to claims in parliament the emergency services are underfunded.
We have already revealed shocking cases including an Argyll dad who suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed – only for his wife to be told there was no ambulance available.
In Aberdeen, a man claimed a 13-hour wait for an ambulance to take his grieving mother to hospital only ended because he pleaded for help on Twitter.
Jim, who did not want to give his full name, said: “I dread to think what would have happened if he’d been seriously ill.
“It was a nightmare from start to finish.”
He was driving from Perth to Pitlochry with his wife and two teenage sons when his 17-year-old felt ill.
They pulled over at the side of the road where he passed out, striking his head and cutting his leg.
Jim said his one was out for a couple of minutes. His breathing was shallow and his lips started turning blue.
He came round, but was in a confused state while they waited in vain for help.
‘This was a shock’
“He just fell to the ground,” Jim said.
“He’s never ill so this was a shock.
“We phoned 999 but there was nothing for 20 minutes. We waited for a clinician to phone back, again, nothing.
“We decided to pick him up ourselves and take him to Pitlochry but the clinic was shut.”
A nurse happened to be in the building and told them there were no paramedics around.
First, I am extremely sorry.
– Nicola Sturgeon
His son was checked over and seemed better so was taken home. They took him to the local GP the next day.
Jim added: “The doctor said to phone for help if happened again. What are you supposed to think of that? Will help be available?”
He told local MSP Murdo Fraser before it was raised at First Minister’s Questions.
Jim said he was reluctant to fully identify himself for fear of being accused of making party political attacks.
In Holyrood, Tory lead Douglas Ross raised further examples. One involved a man in an assisted-living complex in Bearsden who had symptoms of stroke and phoned for an ambulance at 2.30 pm. They were not picked up until 4.45 am, more than 14 hours later
Mr Ross said: “People are dialling 999 and are asking for an ambulance. On average, they are waiting six hours, not 10 minutes.
“The First Minister tries to say that that is because of the pandemic. Our ambulance staff and technicians have done fantastic work during the pandemic and before it, but the problems began long before Covid-19.”
Told about Jim’s experience, Ms Sturgeon said: “I do not know whether Jim is watching, but he might be, so I will address him directly.
“First, I am extremely sorry that the wait that you had, happened, and I do not think that that is acceptable.
“I am trying to address the issues genuinely, because I do not think that the cases that Douglas Ross has cited are acceptable, and nothing that I have said today suggests that they are.”
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