Swinney apologizes to footballer after five-hour ambulance delay

First Minister John Swinney apologized in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday to Brooke Paterson, a 19-year-old Linlithgow Rose midfielder, over the delay in medical help after she broke her leg during a Lowland League match. Swinney said he regrets the incident and apologized on behalf of the government, following scrutiny of why the ambulance took five hours to reach the field.

Paterson sustained the injury during Linlithgow Rose's away game against Cumbernauld United in North Lanarkshire on Sunday. The central midfielder, a Bo’ness native, ran for the ball and a slide tackle ended with her leg snapping. Teammates and onlookers immediately called for help, and Paterson described lying on the wet grass in increasing pain as the night drew in.

The ambulance did not arrive until after dark, and Paterson said she was told the situation was not a 999 emergency, contributing to a long wait in cold conditions. She later underwent surgery at Forth Valley Hospital and remained in hospital days later, describing persistent pain and fatigue but maintaining a resolve to return to football once recovered.

Swinney, speaking in Parliament, attributed the delay in part to how the call was prioritized. He said it appeared the ambulance call had been misclassified, which meant it did not receive the urgency it deserved. “That is not acceptable,” he said, adding that an inquiry would determine whether similar misclassifications had occurred and what steps might remedy the situation.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) also issued an apology, saying it was sorry for the delay and for the distress caused. A spokesperson cited high demand and hospital turnaround times in the region, noting that calls received on 21 September were impacted by delays ranging from 90 minutes to three hours in the area. The SAS encouraged Paterson or her family to contact the patient experience team to review the case further when appropriate.

The case was raised by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at First Minister’s Questions. Sarwar criticized the response, saying delays in Accident and Emergency care have affected families across Scotland and accusing Swinney of having “broken the system.” Swinney responded that the issue highlighted an unacceptable error and pledged to examine potential remedies.

Paterson, speaking to BBC Scotland after the incident, recalled the moment the ball was contested and described the pain as “the worst I’ve felt.” She said she was cold and frightened as the night deepened and that being left on the wet ground without timely help was distressing. “I’m just really, really sore and tired all the time,” she said, but added that she believes she can recover and return to football with time and support.

Her team’s coach and teammates have expressed support and emphasized the importance of timely medical response in sports. While the timing of her discharge from hospital remains unclear, Paterson has spoken about using the experience to reinforce her commitment to the sport and to care for her own health going forward.

The SAS statement urged those involved to contact the patient experience team to review the case and discuss the response publicly once more information is available. The service noted that patient safety and timely access to care are its priorities and that it would work to identify any operational improvements needed to prevent a recurrence.

The incident, first reported by BBC News, underscores ongoing concerns about ambulance response times and hospital handover processes in Scotland, particularly during peak demand periods. It also highlights the emotional toll on patients waiting for care, even as sports communities call for clearer prioritization of emergencies on the field.