A five-year-old boy, Yusuf Abdismad died from meningitis. The confusion between ambulance operators and the NHS 111 service caused delays to his treatment.
The boy's mother, Sofia Mohammed, had called 999 and following an assessment was told by the London ambulance service dispatcher to contact the non-emergency number 111 instead. By the time an ambulance was dispatched and arrived, Yusuf was in cardiac arrest.
A senior coroner at St Pancras coroner's court in London, Mary Hassell, warned there was “a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken”. She had also stated that the emergency services had failed to recognise the important signs of meningitis.
During the phone call to 111, Sofia Mohammed had mentioned that her son was not breathing. Instead of sending paramedics to attend the boy immediately, the call handler continued to ask questions.
London ambulance service's emergency medical dispatcher (EMD) was also criticised for asking the mother a list of confusing questions.
