Bridget backs call for paramedics on all ambulances (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Bridget backs call for paramedics on all ambulances

April 27, 2007 1:42 PM

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Bridget Fox is backing local resident Jean Murphy's campaign to get paramedics on all London ambulances.

Last summer, Holloway resident Jean Murphy's teenage daughter Kayleigh died after a series of errors by the ambulance service.

At 6.50pm on 14 July, Jean called an ambulance because Kayleigh was having a severe epileptic fit.

The first response was an Ambulance Service car, carrying a technician who was not licensed to administer the life-saving drug diazepam, and not a paramedic.

The second response was an ambulance from Camden , which stopped at a road accident - the call to help Kayleigh was then cancelled.

Another ambulance requested by the technician went to the wrong address because of a satnav failure - and in any case had no paramedics on board.

On arrival the ambulance took Kayleigh to hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 8.30pm.

Now Jean has collected over 15,000 signatures, calling for emergency ambulances to be staffed by paramedics, so epilepsy patients can be treated on the scene. Bridget Fox has met with Jean to pledge her support.

Bridget Fox says: "Jean Murphy has shown enormous courage and dignity in working to see some good come from Kayleigh's tragic death. I support her campaign & have written to the Prime Minister & the Secretary of Health demanding action. It remains to be how the Government will respond.

"This was not the fault of individual ambulance workers, but reveals real problems in the way the service is staffed and funded. London has lower numbers of paramedics than most NHS regions - but has a high-density population with many health challenges.

"The NHS ambulance service, paramedics and emergency medical technicians are in the frontline, saving lives every day. They do an amazing job but we should never take them for granted.

"I think that Islington residents deserve to have paramedics on every ambulance."