A man has claimed he was refused a defibrillator located at a Sports Direct store after a 999 call handler told him to go and get it to help his sick relative. Peter Rees was told by a Welsh Ambulance operator, who he described as "brilliant", to rush to the Sports Direct store in Parc Trostre, Llanelli, to get the life-saving equipment for his mother-in-law.
Peter and his wife went to their 84-year-old mum's home in Llanelli on Wednesday afternoon last week (February 8) after they got a phone call telling them she was ill. When they arrived it was clear that Jean Morris needed help so Peter called 999.
They were quickly transferred to a Welsh Ambulance operator who told Peter to get a defibrillator in case Jean was having a heart attack. The call handler told him there were two in the area, one in Sports Direct at Parc Trostre, and another in McDonald's. You can get more Llanelli news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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Peter described the Sport's Direct shop as a "stone's throw" from his in-law's home so he quickly rushed to the store. He explained to the person at the desk that he had been informed to get a defibrillator by a 999 call handler for his sick mother-in-law, however Peter claimed he was "point blank refused".
He said: "I am not someone who is not outspoken, but I was completely lost for words. I was completely taken aback. I thought, should I have a rant or rave, but I thought I am wasting precious and critical time here. I turned around and went back to my car and went to McDonald's, and they could not be more helpful."
Peter said the member of staff at McDonald's instructed him how to access the defibrillator and what to do. He got back to the house and was quickly followed by a first responder who did all the relevant checks on Jean. However, Peter was extremely upset about the defibrillator allegedly being refused him by the member of staff in Sports Direct.
He added: "I just cannot get over it. The defibrillators are something that has become well known all over the last few years. They are the difference between life and death. I simply could not get over it."
Peter said he got the impression that the alleged refusal was down to company policy, and not the worker's decision, adding: "If the instructions are they don't give out the defibrillators, that has got to be sorted out."
Commenting on the incident, Shaun Greaney, Labour group press officer for Llanelli Town Council, said: "I am furious about what has happened because this could have resulted in a fatality. It was just by pure coincidence that the sick person didn't have a heart attack.
He claimed: "As far as Sports Direct are concerned, it was an emergency situation, they point blank refused to give the defibrillator to the gentleman in desperate need to help his ill mother-in-law. This is a disregard of responsibility and I call upon Sports Direct as a company to recognise that they have a duty to make it available for use to the public. It is an appalling act of irresponsibility on their behalf. I would urge them to apologise to the family and contribute funds to install more defibrillators in the town as a gesture of good will."
Mr Greaney added that the defibrillator could be moved to the outside of the store so it was more accessible to the public.
Sports Direct have been approached for comment.
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