Wednesday, 19 March 2014

Izabelle Easen

When Izabelle Easen suffered an asthma attack in 2008, James McKenna declared her dead at the scene, ignoring rules stating he should continue resuscitation and get her to hospital for treatment that might have saved her life.
The inquest, at Doncaster Coroner's Court, is being held only after a Sky News investigation identified Izabelle from redacted minutes of McKenna's disciplinary hearing.
McKenna was struck off over his behaviour.
But Yorkshire Ambulance Service did not tell Izabelle's mother anything was wrong, nor was she informed a hearing was being held about her daughter's death.
McKenna was found to have mistreated other patients including a retired South Yorkshire teacher who was dying of cancer, with a hospital nurse telling the hearing the man suffered as a result.
The man's widow, who has asked not to be identified, was not told about the negligence but has not pushed for an inquest to protect his elderly mother from hearing the distressing details.
Sky's investigation uncovered a culture of secrecy in the NHS, with the regulator of paramedics, the Health Professions Council (HPC), and a number of ambulance services keeping details of paramedic misconduct from the families of dead patients.
In another case, Marion Giles was paid an out of court settlement by North East Ambulance Service after Sky News informed her that paramedic Brian Jewers was struck off over her husband's treatment.
A coroner subsequently ruled there had been a failure of care after Jewers refused to give Grahame Giles, 61, a vital injection following a heart attack in 2008.
Mr Giles' widow Marion Giles accused the NHS of criminal behaviour, while Izabelle's mother Lorna Easen said it was "morally wrong" she had not been told about what had happened

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