A vital delivery of oxygen for a poorly baby was held up when a CalMac ferry skipper refused to carry it.
Mum Kelly Donnelly, from Bute, said her son James depends on oxygen 24 hours a day because he suffers from chronic lung disease.
The refusal meant James couldn’t leave the house, as he had no cylinders.
Dad Ian Foster said: “CalMac needs to get its priorities right. Without oxygen, James would die – it’s as simple as that.”
“It’s bang out of order,” said Kelly. “I’m from this island and my son stays on this island but we couldn’t get out.”
Ian said they had been receiving deliveries from Dolby Vivisol, a home respiratory care provider, since James got home from hospital. He added: “The vans are clearly marked, and they always know they are coming. They deliver to other people on the island, too.”
A spokesperson for Caledonian MacBrayne said: “The vehicle in question did not have the correct warning markings displayed which are a requirement for carrying oxygen on board, with the result that the vessel’s master refused permission to travel.”
Amanda Whiffin, clinical director with Dolby Vivisol, said: “The job was rebooked within the delivery timescales agreed with the NHS.”
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe