Deadly Detour

A 999 PATIENT died after an ambulance driver diverted to the depot instead of going to hospital-because he had over-run his shift.
The driver complained to a colleague that he was 15 minutes past the end of his duty and wanted to clock off.

He got out of the ambulance without even TELLING his replacement there was a cricically sick case being tended by another medic in the back.

The new driver sped on to hospital as quickly as he could - but the detour had added half a mile and four crucial minutes to the journey.

The patient, who had suffered a stroke, deteriorated during the drive and died of a suspected heart attack soon after arriving at A&E.

Sirens
The driver and the medic who was in the back, an advanced technician, have since been suspended as health chiefs investigate the delay.

An NHS source said: "A couple of minutes in a life or death situation is a very long time.

"Skimming off just a few seconds from an emergency call-out can save lives - that's why ambulances are fitted with blue lights and sirens.

"If this person wanted a nine to five job he shouldn't have become a paramedic."

STOP-OFF: Depot where driver got out, The News of the World can reveal ambulance controllers took a call about the patient, who lived just three miles from North Tees Hospital in Stockton, Teeside, at 3.52pm. The crew were alerted to a Category A life-threatening incident and arrived at his home at 3.57pm.

After assessing the 69-year-old man they left for the hospital at 4.13pm.

The driver should have taken the patient north onto the Durham bypass, into Durham Road and then turned into Hardwick Road, where North Tees Hospital is situated. The route should have been 3.3 miles long and taken just ten minutes.

Instead the driver is believed to have driven south, diverting into Grangefield Road to the depot, where he got out.

The patient remained in the back of the ambulance with the technician until the new driver took the wheel. The vehicle then continued up Grangefield Road, onto the A1027 to meet up with Durham Road.

It did not arrive at hospital until 4.27pm.

As soon as the patient got to A&E doctors scrambled to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, but were unable to save him. The delay was reported by the new driver who was just starting his shift.

DELAY: Patient died after reaching hospitalThe NHS source said the actions of the first driver were "absolutely abhorrent", adding: "Paramedics pride themselves on the public being able to feel they are in the best hands when they are called out to an emergency.

"The Ambulance Service should be trusted and if anyone breaches the public's trust this is taken extremely seriously.

"This should not have happened and the people involved are quite rightly likely to lose their jobs."

The driver suspended over the incident on May 18 is aged 53 and the technician who was with the patient in the back of the ambulance is 54.

A spokesman for North East Ambulance Service said: "This incident was immediately reported to us by another member of staff and as soon as we were notified, we acted to suspend a paramedic and an advanced technician from duty.

"We appointed a senior officer to carry out a full investigation of the incident and have notified the North East Strategic Health Authority, Stockton-on-Tees Teaching Primary Care Trust and the Health Professions Council of our actions.

"We have also been in touch with the family of the patient to give them our condolences and to keep them updated on developments.

"Patient care is our number one priority and we treat any action which falls short of the high standard expected of our staff extremely seriously." (from news of the world)

Total madness, I hope the driver cannot sleep, knowing the distress he has caused

unbelievable.... :roll:

The family of the deceased man may consider suing the suspended driver. What a complete and utter idiot, clearly in the wrong job. Hope he is not suspended on full pay for too long.




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a damned disgrace.i hope the family take them for everything they can

Around Christmas there was a case where two ambulance men went to pick up someone at their house - they stood there debating whether he was worth saving - and saying things like 'look at the state of this house' anyway he died!!! the whole episode was heard at the ambulance station and the two men were suspended - but since then - no more news - makes you wonder.....do some people have their compassion removed at birth!!!

Your daughter (my god-daughter :) ) also has a brain, dedication and compassion (and I'm not biased in case anybody thinks otherwise 8) )

Apparently this guy used to be an airport fireman in Guernsey..........

@ technophobe....






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Anomiso wrote:"If this person wanted a nine to five job he shouldn't have become a paramedic."

We must have a Completely Different definition of "Paramadec" down here...
My daughter is a paramedic and she definitely does NOT work a "nine to five"...quite the opposite!

You meen she only works five to nine Only 4 hours ;-)

She has taken up knitting, Wayside, while she waits for the call to assist you at Madame La guillotine's party! :evil: :Aussie D 1:

Beware Wayside - she was a Mounted Policewoman before she did her 4 hour stints as a paramedic ........... :-)

karma wrote:Beware Wayside - she was a Mounted Policewoman before she did her 4 hour stints as a paramedic ........... :-)

There's nothing like mounting a policewoman!!

Hmmmm she doesn't use the guillotine solely for decapitation - she practices on other body parts as well :-)

Especially good at making "sausages" of secondary meat cuts :Aussie D 1: