Ministers have promised to take steps to improve alarm services in social housing, after a man died waiting for an ambulance after contacting a housing association’s emergency call line.
According to Inside Housing:
“Ronald Volante, 74, was found dead at his sheltered housing complex in Prenton, Wirral, on 5 November after waiting an hour and 40 minutes for an ambulance.
The housing was managed by Regenda Group, but an emergency alarm service operated by housing association Magenta Living came under the spotlight in a parliamentary debate yesterday.
Ambulance services gave the call low priority after the emergency alarm operator did not disclose to the 999 operator that Mr Volante had a history of heart disease and thrombosis.
Magenta’s emergency alarm operator also failed to tell the ambulance service that Mr Volante had become unresponsive when he called back.”