Probe after Inverness bridge man dies twice

Medcial teams at Raigmore Hospital in the Highland capital battled to resuscitate the 44-year-old man for a second time, but he was again pronounced dead after their efforts failed.

NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service are carrying out their own internal reviews into the incident at Raigmore Hospital.

A spokeswoman for the health authority said: “An individual was retrieved from the water having been witnessed to have fallen from the Kessock Bridge.

“Following resuscitation attempts he was pronounced deceased at the scene and was subsequently brought to the mortuary by an undertaker, as is normal practice.

“Upon arrival 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.”

She added: “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. Until that is carried out we are unable to comment further.”

Review

NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service are carrying out their own internal reviews into the incident at Raigmore Hospital.

A spokeswoman for the health authority said: “An individual was retrieved from the water having been witnessed to have fallen from the Kessock Bridge.

“Following resuscitation attempts he was pronounced deceased at the scene and was subsequently brought to the mortuary by an undertaker, as is normal practice.

“Upon arrival 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.”

She added: “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. Until that is carried out we are unable to comment further.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We are reviewing a case involving a patient who fell from Kessock Bridge.

“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.”

A Crown Office spokesperson: “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report in connection with the death of a 44-year-old man at the Kessock Bridge, Inverness on Friday 7 June 2013.

“The investigation into the death, under the direction of Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU), is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The man, who fell more than 100 feet from the Kessock Bridge on Friday night, has not been identified.

His body was retrieved from the water by Kessock Lifeboat and taken to Inverness Marina, where an ambulance crew attempted to revive him.