Home > Publications > Selected Cases > Selected Investigations Completed December 2002March 2003 > Case no. E.126/02-03
Complaint against East Midland Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EMAS)
Summary of Case
Mrs P’s husband, who had suffered from a widespread cancer, was discharged from Wythenshawe Hospital. At the door of his house Mr P fell heavily. Mrs P said that the ambulance attendants could not lift up her husband, who was in great pain, and a neighbour was obliged to ‘manhandle’ him into the house. The attendants then left shortly afterwards without offering her any advice, or reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities. The attendants denied that the neighbour had undertaken the role claimed by Mrs P and said that they had lifted Mr P to his feet and escorted him into the house. The Ombudsman criticised the attendants for not enquiring into the likely difficulties they would encounter in moving Mr P from the ambulance to the house and their failure to consider using a carrying chair. She concluded that, due to the narrow entrance, it would have been impossible for Mr P to have been helped into the house in the manner described by the attendants. She also criticised them for failing to offer advice and assistance to Mrs P and for breaching EMAS procedures by not reporting the incident to the area office. EMAS apologised for their shortcomings and agreed to counsel the attendant that still worked for them and monitor her future progress. They also agreed to implement other improvements in practice.
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