A grandfather died of a heart attack while an emergency paramedic stood outside his home for 16 minutes, making a risk assessment.

The family of Roy Adams, 60, claimed yesterday that he might have survived if the paramedic had entered immediately. London Ambulance Service said that it had begun an investigation into the circumstances of the delay.

Mr Adams, a chauffeur for the Metropolitan Police, dialled 999 complaining of breathing problems and chest pains just after midnight on June 29. He was told by the operator to leave his front door open so an ambulance crew could get to him quickly.

However, a paramedic who arrived six minutes later and saw the door open feared that the property was being burgled. He stayed on the doorstep carrying out a “risk assessment exercise” before calling police for support. When he entered the property, 16 minutes after arriving, he found Mr Adams in the front room of his home in Morden, South London. Mr Adams was not breathing and was dead when he reached hospital.

His daughter, Sarah Adams, 23, said: “It makes me feel sick to think that the paramedic waited outside for 16 minutes. They thought he was having a heart attack but didn’t go in. He was told to leave the door open, so I can’t understand how it was a surprise for the medic. The delay might have made all the difference.

“I don’t understand what health and safety worries meant this man couldn’t help my dad. He was dying.”

Ms Adams said that the family was planning to sue the ambulance service. “No one has apologised to us for what has happened,” she said. “I would at least expect a letter or something like that — but I still want to take them to court.”

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said that two “single responders” had been sent to the address in cars, an ambulance crew and a duty officer. “The first member of our staff to arrive carried out a full on-scene risk assessment and requested police assistance due to safety concerns,” the spokesman said. “He then took the decision to enter the property alone, while maintaining telephone contact with our control room.

“We are looking into the incident and are in the process of contacting Mr Adams’s family to discuss things further.”

Concerns have been raised about the increasing use of solo paramedics as two-person crews were split up before the introduction of new government targets in April last year. Under the new targets, three quarters of the most serious emergencies have to be met within eight minutes of a 999 call being answered.

Ben Bradshaw, then a junior health minister, denied in December 2007 that “single responders” would put patients at risk. He said they could help to free resources and that emergency calls would be responded to more quickly.

Miss Adams added: “Why would you stand outside carrying out this risk assessment when you know an old man is inside with a serious medical emergency? My dad had been instructed to put the doors on the latch by the operator. Vital minutes were wasted. He might well have survived if the medic had gone in and treated him as soon as he arrived.”

The ambulance service spokesman described the risk assessment as a “mental checklist” which included considering the safety of the scene, types of risk and whether extra help or equipment was required.

“We have a duty of care to treat patients but we also have to look after our staff,” he said. “In this case the medic conducted the assessment, had safety concerns and decided to call for back-up.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Here’s one way MPs can redeem themselves
• Analysis: introducing the word 'failure'
• BA to cut tenth of jobs after disastrous summer