Emergency Calls
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make purposely delaying calling emergency services during a medical emergency a crime.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
The Government has no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to make it a crime to delay calling emergency services during a medical emergency.
Although no general duty applies to members of the public to act in such circumstances in England and Wales, a duty of care may apply where it can be established under statute, contract or where a relationship of proximity exists between the parties, for example such as a child or vulnerable older person.
Where a duty of care is found to exist, and there has been a serious breach of that duty, particularly where a lack of care led to the death of the victim, a person may be liable to criminal prosecution under the law of gross negligence manslaughter.
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