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Family threatens to sue ambulance service



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Published Date:
29 September 2008
A grieving family is considering legal action over the length of time it took an ambulance to reach their dying son.
The parents of Daniel Evans have consulted solicitors after claiming it took an ambulance almost an hour to reach their son, who suffered massive head injuries when he was knocked over by a Renault Megane in Grangetown.

Despite a six-hour operation to save him, the popular 14-year-old Southmoor School pupil died six days later.

More than nine months after the tragedy, Daniel's dad, John Evans, and mum Karon Hylton are still waiting to for answers as to how he died.

A rapid-response paramedic reached the scene within minutes but their biggest concern is over how long it took for a full ambulance crew to reach their son, and if that affected his chance of survival.

"We want to know whether it would have made a difference if Daniel had been taken to hospital sooner," said Karon, 34, from Cairo Street, Hendon.

The horrific incident happened on Stratford Avenue, near its junction with Rainford Avenue, on December 3, last year.

"They got the 999 call at 3.20pm," said Karon.

"They sent a rapid response paramedic, but the main ambulance didn't get to Daniel until 4.15pm.

"Taking that long is not acceptable at all."

She added: "They say they keep reaching their targets to get to 999 calls, so why didn't they do that for Daniel?"

Karen - whose daughter Nikita, 11, recently started at Southmoor School - said the trauma and heartache the family has suffered since the tragedy meant it took a while before they realised there may have been issues with the ambulance response which the want resolving.

She has consulted a solicitor, who has requested copies of Daniel's medical records and could launch legal action against the health service.

However, that could depend on the outcome of an inquest into the death of the teenager, whose former classmates unveiled a memorial garden in his honour.

It is expected that paramedics will be called to give evidence when the case is heard in Newcastle on December 11.

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) declined to comment until after the inquest, but confirmed it will have legal representation at the hearing.

The full article contains 381 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 29 September 2008 11:07 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Sunderland
 
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1

dave uk,

uk 29/09/2008 15:09:08
When will the public realise that ambulance trusts are only concerned with 1 thing and that is to stop the 8 minute clock from ticking. I very much doubt that an ambulance was not available within that time frame but it was probably sent to another job somewhere else to stop another 8 minute target set by the government. More and more 2 man transporting ambulances are being replaced by single responder cars as they can get to a job faster to stop the clock but cannot be used to transport patients.its shameful
2

Nicola Mendez,

County Durham 29/09/2008 15:55:42
I'd like to thank the echo for publishing this story. It is very important that these questions are answered before another child is left to die in the road. The sad fact is that Daniel is not the only one. There was Rebecca Wedd who waited 42 minutes having been struck by a car. Her story is awfully similar to Daniel's.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1047468/Student-died-left-lying-road-42-minutes-ambulance-finally-arrived.html
LEST WE FORGET!
3

Angryreader,

glasgow 29/09/2008 17:36:47
Reading this story made me angry!!
Fair enough I too would be upset and angry if i had to wait almost an hour for the ambulance service to arrive but wat is suein them actually goin to achieve ? all its going to do is take money from the NHS that they really can't afford to give out!! If people continue to sue the NHS and there services there won't be an NHS and where would we be then!
4

,

30/09/2008 09:53:41
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
5

UA,

UK 30/09/2008 16:04:01
A tragic case and my thoughts go to the family. I feel the real fault here is behind the way Ambulance 999 calls are taken and abused throughout the country. It would be interesting to find out Where those ambulances where at the time of this incident. If on an unpaid break fine but I bet there are many ambulances across the county dealing with so called emergency toothaches, sore feet, drunks and general calls that could have been better redirected to GP/NHS Direct services or even denied at point of call. A system should be in place to do this. Or maybe, just maybe, the caller could have used common sense in the first place and really thought about whether their ambulance request was a real emergency? A real emergency like in this case with Daniel.
Next time you ring for an ambulance think. It may be a free taxi ride to hospital for you but it could be a death sentence for someone else.
6

para666,

London 30/09/2008 18:27:19
I have been a paramedic for the past 15 years and am getting fed up with the policy of using more and more cars. however the reason that more and more cars are being used is the fact that we are getting so many inapropriate calls to the ambulance service.
I have just looked at the jobs in my area at the moment, and we have:

1) ambulance going to intoxicated male laying in the road

2) ambulance going to female assulted (4 hours ago)

3) a minor cut finger (200 yards from A&E)

4) car to chest pain

5) Female short of breath (42nd call from her this month)

6) male chest pain (Visited GP wh called for an ambulance then sent patient home to wait for emergency ambulance)

It grieves me when i hear about this young lad who could have died waiting for an ambulance, but the government still insists that everybody calling for an ambulance will get one regardless of clinical need.

This is where all of the ambulances probably were
7

,

01/10/2008 15:03:00
Comment Removed By Administrator
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