'Disgusting': Firefighter Dies After Hospital Turns Him Away During a Heart Attack
The daughter of a firefighter who died after being turned away from A&E in Warrington during a cardiac arrest said she thinks it's disgusting that her father had to depart that way.
Paul Smith, a 54-year-old firefighter, suffered a heart attack, and he was taken to the nearest A&E, Warrington, where a doctor asked him to be transferred to Broadgreen which was about 25 minutes away.
Firefighter died after being turned away from NHS hospital A&E after a heart attack
— Socialist Voice (@SocialistVoice) February 5, 2019
Paul Smith, from Runcorn, Cheshire, was rushed to A&E at Warrington Hospital after he went into cardiac arrest
https://t.co/EX5ySB99yU
But while being transferred in the back of an ambulance to Broadgreen, Mr. Smith went into a cardiac arrest. Following due protocols of the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) policy, the paramedics diverted to the closest A&E department at Warrington.
The ambulance crew, who were exhausted from giving Paul CPR for about 19 minutes, were stunned when the expert medical staffs didn't take over the care of the dying man.
That poor soul had a skill far, far above the pay grade of government members of parliament, but he meant nothing to them
— Art Dale (@ADale77) February 5, 2019
Smith was sadly turned away by a consultant who, according to an internal investigation report, has been identified as "Dr. W." The consultant asked that he be taken immediately to Liverpool, where he would be appropriately assessed and stabilized.
Paul, however, did not make it. The father of three and grandad of six was confirmed dead on arrival. Reports have it that he only made it that far because of the heroic efforts of the paramedics. The consultant has since admitted he "made a mistake."
According to Liverpool Echo, the firefighter's 33-year-old daughter, Terri Winster said:
"We are utterly heartbroken. For the job that he did, the number of lives he would have saved, and he has been failed."
'I think it's disgusting, you expect him to be cared for, and he has just turned away.' - Terri
This DR and the hospital should now be under police investigation? But I suppose they will apologise and say lessons have been learned? It’s the same gobshite coming from these people and management but in reality they couldn’t care less!
— Melanie Powell (@melaniepowell20) February 5, 2019
It is so disheartening that a man, whose profession involves risking his life to save others was denied emergency medical care.
Liverpool Echo also reported that Warrington Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WHHFT) had concluded the internal investigation.
Mirror.co.uk added that the Trust found that "Dr. W" should have admitted Mr. Smith on his arrival at the hospital.
This incidence is not the first of its kind. There are other cases where medical personnel did not perform optimally.
Same thing happened to me, I was sent home with a referral to cardiology, I had another heart attack rushed in and stent fitted.. an other battle now, I fe×¥king hate doctors, stuck up their elitist medically trained arse
— Brian Davies (@5_mini_Daves) February 5, 2019
A news report has it that a mum was left writhing in agony in the A&E of a hospital in West Yorkshire. The woman waited in pain for hours at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) before she got any attention.
The woman, Vivien Lee was later discharged with antibiotics after the medics allegedly did not have the right equipment to check her condition. She went home with the drugs - only to be diagnosed of cancer hours later.