A tragic incident unfolded as a 15-year-old girl lost her life to meningitis after the ambulance service allegedly failed to transport her to the hospital, an inquest revealed. Zara Cheesman, residing in Mapperley Park, Nottingham, should have been swiftly taken to the hospital by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) personnel before her untimely demise on December 23 last year, according to Nottingham Coroner’s Court. The young girl had visited the A&E department on December 20 with symptoms like vomiting, neck, and shoulder pain but was discharged with a suspected case of norovirus.
The following day, two ambulance technicians, who were not registered as clinicians like paramedics, visited Zara’s home where she exhibited concerning signs of meningitis such as confusion and a severe headache. It came to light during the inquest that the technicians should have sought guidance from a senior clinical lead if they opted not to transport someone under 18 to the hospital, a protocol that was overlooked in Zara’s case. Reports suggested that Zara might have survived had she been taken back to the hospital promptly.
Susan Jevons, EMAS’s head of patient safety, extended heartfelt apologies to Zara’s family and pledged to implement changes to prevent such tragedies in the future. She acknowledged the lapse in Zara’s case and stressed the importance of staff members familiarizing themselves with the organization’s policies, which are regularly communicated through bulletins that clinicians are required to confirm they have read. While the technicians claimed ignorance of the policy regarding under-18 consultations, Jevons noted that one of them, Michael Hoy, a qualified technician, had acknowledged reading it.
During her testimony, Jevons emphasized the clinicians’ responsibility to comprehend and adhere to established policies and procedures, highlighting the significance of understanding protocols related to underage patients. The inquest also revealed that there have been no similar incidents following Zara’s demise, with all children necessitating hospital care being transported by ambulance crews.
The inquest proceedings concluded on Friday, with the coroner expected to deliver the verdict on Wednesday afternoon. The tragic incident has prompted EMAS to reevaluate its procedures and reinforce the understanding of policies among its staff, aiming to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
