‘Signs of life’ alert at hospital mortuary

A man who fell from Kessock Bridge in Inverness was declared dead by paramedics on Friday and taken to the mortuary at the city’s Raigmore Hospital by an undertaker.

However, after a 999 call, an ambulance crew and a cardiac arrest team from the hospital tried to resuscitate the man, but he was confirmed dead.

The incident is being investigated by NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service said it was also reviewing the case.

An ambulance spokesman said: “Following retrieval, having been in the water for some time,
the ambulance crew made
every effort to resuscitate the patient.

“However, despite active resuscitation being carried out by the crew with no response, a clinical assessment was undertaken, including ongoing cardiac monitoring, and confirmed that the patient had died.

“Subsequently, following a 999 call to the mortuary at Raigmore Hospital, an ambulance responded, along with a cardiac arrest team from the hospital. The patient was subsequently confirmed life-extinct.”

An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: “Upon arrival (at the mortuary), in the course of routine checks on the deceased, hospital staff were concerned that there were potential signs of life.

“The Scottish Ambulance Service and an internal cardiac arrest team attended and resuscitation was immediately commenced. However, despite this, evidence of ongoing signs of life could not be confirmed.

“The death is subject to an investigation by the procurator fiscal, as is standard practice in a sudden death.

“We are also holding our own internal significant event review, as is normal practice in these circumstances.”