 Luke Gallimore died after being on a ventilator for 16 days |
An MP is visiting a hospital to seek answers after the death of a boy who waited two hours for an ambulance to take him 300 yards to intensive care. The family of Luke Gallimore, 16, say he slipped into a coma as he waited to be moved from a ward at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
His parents claim three ambulances were outside A&E but none could be used to pick up Luke, who had leukaemia.
Stoke Central Labour MP, Mark Fisher, is going to the hospital on Thursday.
Doctor pleads
Mr Fisher said: "Something is clearly wrong. We have a very good ambulance service and a very good hospital with excellent staff.
"If people are being kept waiting before being admitted to hospital, then something is wrong and we need to get to the bottom of it."
The boy's parents have lodged a complaint about the delay.
His family, from Stoke-on-Trent, released a transcript to the media of a phone call in which Luke's doctor pleaded for an ambulance.
The teenager was on oxygen at the hospital and could not be moved from his bed, which was why an ambulance was needed.
After 16 days on a ventilator, Luke died from a combination of cancer, pneumonia and adult breathing distress syndrome.
The hospital and Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said they are investigating the incident.
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