A caring society

The Independent reports:

Patient dies after ambulance driver clocks off

Monday, 8 June 2009

An emergency patient died after an ambulance driver diverted to the depot instead of going to hospital — because he had over-run his shift.

The driver complained to a colleague that he was 15 minutes past the end of his duty and wanted to clock off. The News of the World reported that he got out of the ambulance without even telling his replacement there was a critically sick case being tended by another medic in the back.

The new driver headed to the hospital as quickly as he could — but the detour had added half a mile to the journey.

The patient, who had suffered a stroke, deteriorated during the drive and died of a suspected heart attack soon after arriving at A&E.

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