Brian Skeffington dies of complications after choking on his own vomit while waiting five hours for SA ambulance

Vomiting uncontrollably, a “fit and active” great-grandfather was forced to wait five hours for an ambulance. His son says the delay killed him.

The shattered son of an 89-year-old man who died from complications after vomiting uncontrollably for five hours while waiting for an ambulance says he would have survived if he was cared for on time.

Bernard “Brian” Skeffington, a fit and active father and great-grandfather, was looking forward to his 90th birthday and 60th wedding anniversary with his wife Patricia, 84, before he began vomiting at 8am on Friday, September 25, at he and Patricia’s North Plympton home.

His son, Martin Skeffington, 54, of Seaford Rise, said an ambulance – the first of four – was called for about 8am, after his mother became distressed with Mr Skeffington’s vomiting.

Mr Skeffington, a rehabilitation nurse in the private sector, said his mother waited “at least five hours” before his father was taken to hospital by paramedics.

“SA Ambulance did ring my Mum on three occasions to say that the ambulances that were dispatched were diverted,” he said.

Bernard "Brian" Skeffington, 89, died after waiting five hours for an ambulance. Picture: Supplied

Mr Skeffington pictured with one of his great-grandchildren. Picture: Supplied

Mr Skeffington died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit on September 30, after his family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off life support and stop intravenous antibiotics.

His cause of death was declared as lung complications from aspirating on his own vomit.

The State Coroner is now investigating Mr Skeffington’s death.

Mr Skeffington said his father would have survived if he received treatment within the required time frame.

“If he had have been in hospital within a reasonable time frame, one hour or two hours, the standard treatment is to put a nasogastric tube through the nose into the stomach to drain the contents out, and he wouldn’t have aspirated his own vomit,” Mr Skeffington said.

He said his father “inhaled a whole lot of his own vomit, which was the cause of his death in the end”.

Bernard "Brian" Skeffington pictured with his nephew James (left) and son Martin (right). Picture: Supplied

He said his the family was “sad … and at the angry phase” because of the unfair manner of Mr Skeffington’s death.

They were now trying to comprehend the unexpected death of the much-loved family man.

“On the way to picking up mum I had a call from the doctor at the Royal Adelaide saying ‘you need to get in here as quickly as possible, your dad is critically unwell and we need to make some decisions’,” Mr Skeffington told.

“Five days later we all met with the team up there and decided that we’d stop treatment because there was nothing more they could do, so treatment was stopped and he passed within two hours.”

Ambulance Employees Association SA spokesman, Josh Karpowicz, said for an urgent priority 3 case, the ambulance should have arrived within half an hour.

“When members of the public call triple-0 they expect an ambulance to arrive in minutes not hours,” he said.

“Mr. Skeffington’s best chance for survival was for an ambulance to arrive in minutes, treated by paramedics and transported to hospital for further care.”

Mr Skeffington said his family had nothing but praise for the SA Ambulance Service, and urged the state government to increase resourcing for paramedics.

“I really feel sorry for SA Ambulance. They do a fantastic job and I have no criticism of their handling of it whatsoever, their hands are tied.”

Mr Karpowicz said the ramping crisis escalated to new heights last week.

“The ambulance service broke yet another record with over 850 hours of ramping last week alone, this is equivalent to over ten, 12-hour ambulances that are denied to the community every single day.”

SA Health declined to comment because the state coroner was investigating.

SA Ambulance Service said it would assist with the coronial invesigation and offered Mr Skeffington’s family condolences.

“SAAS continues to work on response times so that our crews can get to our patients sooner. Recruitment for additional crewing is underway to boost our metropolitan response capacity and to reduce ambulance delays,” a spokesperson said.