The Evening Gazette
CLEVELAND, England — A Teeside paramedic failed to carry out CPR on a heart attack patient and then left his dead body in a doorway, a hearing was told.
Bryan George, of Longacre Close, Skelton, left the man in “public gaze” collapsed outside his house and drove off, the Health Professions Council (HPC) heard yesterday.
He failed to undertake CPR or take an electrocardiogram and then did not complete a diagnosis of death form before going, it is claimed.
In a subsequent interview George claimed it was “apparent the patient was already dead” and he had not moved the body because he thought the circumstances surrounding the death could be suspicious.
A probe was launched and the paramedic was suspended by the North East Ambulance Service days later in May 2007. Julia Faure Walker, for the HPC, said George was called out to the man’s suspected heart attack on May 15. Only two days earlier, it is claimed George ignored the opinions of a senior colleague and decided against taking a woman to hospital. He was told she had severe abdominal pain but told the elderly patient to contact a GP, it was said. George visited the woman on May 13, at 5pm.
A colleague had been called out earlier and concluded she should be immediately taken to hospital and an ambulance was called. George arrived but instead of taking the woman to hospital, George told her to contact a GP. Ms Faure Walker said although the patient tried to contact a doctor, she was told it would be “at least an hour before one could call by”.
Denies wrongdoing
George denied wrongdoing regarding either incident. He admitted leaving the body of the heart attack victim at the scene and said he did not move it because he believed there were suspicious circumstances. He claimed the patient had collapsed at his door but had been moved to a driveway and said “it was apparent the patient was already dead”.
Ms Faure Walker disputed the details of this evidence. In relation to the other incident he claimed the female patient was reluctant to go to hospital and maintained he had acted in a professional manner, the hearing was told. He was suspended pending an investigation on May 18. During subsequent inquiries bosses found a series of omissions in George’s paperwork, it was said.
Then it was discovered George was allegedly attempting to influence the evidence of a colleague, the hearing was told. George, who is not attending the central London hearing, is charged with failing to resuscitate a patient who had collapsed; failing to consider causes for the collapse; inappropriately calling the police; failing to take a second ECG; and failing to remove the deceased in a timely manner.
He is also charged with failing to take a patient to hospital; advising the patient to contact a GP instead; failing to take proper observations; and discounting the diagnosis of a colleague. He is further charged with poor paperwork and observations; attempting to intimidate a colleague, misconduct, lack of competence and impaired fitness to practise. George indicated he no longer wishes to be a paramedic.
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