Air ambulance in one mile callout

The Scottish Ambulance Service is launching an investigation

An investigation is being carried out after a helicopter and paramedics were sent to pick up a patient who lived a short walk from the local hospital.

Scottish Ambulance Service controllers are said to have confused an address in Argyll on the Isle of Luing with a street in Oban.

The mistake was only discovered when the helicopter landed and the crew failed to find their patient.

The Scottish Ambulance service has admitted a mistake was made.

NHS 24 had asked for an ambulance to go to Fladda Road in Oban.

But as the ill patient waited, an air ambulance was making its way to a group of houses known as Fladda on the Isle of Luing, 20 miles south of Oban.

It emerged that the patient lived just minutes from the hospital in Oban and thousands of pounds had been spent on a wasted helicopter trip.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said the incident would be reviewed internally to ensure it didn't happen again.