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My son bled to death while ambulance waited for police
Danny Brierley9 Dec 2008
MICHELLE Jeacock has called for the ambulance escort policy to be revised after watching her 16-year-old son bleed to death while an ambulance waited around the corner for police to arrive.
The 39-year-old cradled her dying son Julian Knight, known as Buster, after he was stabbed in the neck by a gang member in Thamesmead. Stelios Paraschakis, of Abbey Wood, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 18 years for the attack.
She now wants police to ride on ambulances when they visit areas on the high risk register to avoid any delays.
"When I found out that an ambulance had been parked around the corner only a couple of hundred yards away I was very angry, it was upsetting," she said. "I am quite clear in my mind that Buster was losing the fight to survive because he wasn't getting the medical attention he needed.
"It is very difficult to know if he would have survived. I can't think that everything was done to save his life because it wasn't."
It took the ambulance crew almost 10 minutes to make a journey that can be done in a shorter time. The vehicle waited at a rendezvous point for almost three minutes as blood poured from a large wound in Buster's neck. Overton Road was not listed as being a risk, but staff waited for police as they feared the attackers could still be nearby.
The LAS said it was satisfied with the way it dealt with the call in July 2006 and said staff are told to put their own safety first.
Reader views (8)
- A. Bennett, Letchworth, England
Difficult to save a life with a knife sticking out of your back.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 10/12/2008 11:02
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"... The LAS said it was satisfied with the way it dealt with the call in July 2006 and said staff are told to put their own safety first."
I thought saving lives was their job, and therefore their priority. Their own safety must obviously be seriously considered, but it is not FIRST.
- A. Bennett, Letchworth, England, 09/12/2008 19:51
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Further to Anonparamedic's post, as a friend of the family I would like to highlight that the first person to call the ambulance service confirmed there was no assailant in the vicinity, that the patient's mother was there and that others were giving first aid. That caller stayed on the line for around ten minutes until the paramedic car and ambulance started coming down the road.
Further calls by others also confirmed there was no assailant in the vicinity and that people were trying to give first aid.
I know the family are very, very grateful to the paramedic and crews for all they did that night and do not 'blame' them in any way, it is the policy itself they are campaigning to change so that crews have protection and people with life-threatening injuries are not automatically denied the urgent medical help they need.
- S Denham, London, 09/12/2008 19:02
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In reply to the points made by LAS Paramedic, as LAS policy is FRUs do not attend any 'incidents of violence' without the police then having dedicated police travelling - whether in the ambulance or as motorcycle escort - with FRUs to 'incidents of violence' would make no difference at all to the current situation...except the crew could be with the patient as soon as possible rather than waiting at an RVP for the police who have a much longer target response time.
I agree with Peter Haldane that the current policy is a 'cop out by management..to avoid having to take responsibility', and it is clear it is the current policy, or rather the goverment and ambulance services management, at fault and NOT the crews - the crews do an amazing job and deserve everyone's gratitude. I'm feel sure though they did not sign up to sit around waiting for the police while the patient is fighting for his/her life a few yards away.
I am very sorry to hear that recently a paramedic was beaten unconscious and hope he has made a full recovery, in respect of the issue of the currrent policy though it isn't stated whether he had been attending an 'incident of violence'. My point is that as ambulance staff are being assaulted attending calls that are NOT 'incidents of violence', they are anyway approaching 'incidents without any protection' - simply leaving people without urgent medical attention BECAUSE they have been victims of violence is not the answer to this very serious problem.
- Karen, London, UK, 09/12/2008 18:21
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What a sad tale. My heart goes out to you lady.
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 09/12/2008 17:06
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To Mr Haldane
You dont need testifiable evidence when the call that has come through is Male stabbed assailants in the vicininty! Its not rocket science is it, most people in this job have families and why would they put there lives at risk attending a call like this without Police.
And why wouldnt management make decision like this with the HSE breathing down there neck - ever heard of the health and safety at work act? Please i suggest you think before making ignorant comments like that in the future.
- Anonparamedic, London, 09/12/2008 16:22
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Firstly i'd like to express my condolences for the loss of your son.
This is a difficult situation as although we (ambulance service) work closely with the Police we do not want Police 'riding along'with us in Ambulances. There is a number of reasons for this the main one being people who are sick/injured would not call if they think that Police are going to attend in the ambulance. Also if people start assosciating us with the Police attacks could actually increase on Ambulance staff.
This is an unfortunate incident and the crew are not at fault here. Management tell us not to attend these sorts incidents without the Police, if the were crew were to attend and subsequently injured there would be no compensation(remember we have families too).
Only last weekend a lone Paramedic was beaten unconcious (later found by the crew) after being sent to an incident. In London we have no failsafe way of contacting our control room in an emergency the best they offer us is a mobile phone which are unreliable at the best of times. The Police will not ride solo anymore in London and would try and send substantial resources to an incident like this. So why as one man/ two man ambulance crew even contemplate apporaching this sort of incident with no protection. The first thing they will teach you on any course may it be first aid or Paramedic is 'is there danger to yourself' if so you dont approach. I personally did not join this job to break up fights with knife weilding thugs!.
- Las Paramedic, London, 09/12/2008 16:13
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Anyone can be branded 'abusive and aggressive' by an NHS worker without recourse to reply or appeal and on no testable evidence. Who knows what might then happen ? Where do these ambulance services get their information from if they have had no previous contact with the person involved ? There is no exciuse for delay in an ambulance attending a casualty; staff being told 'to put their own safety first' is a mere cop out by management anxious to avoid having to take responsibility.
- Peter Haldane, London, 09/12/2008 15:22
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