Inquiry call over North East Ambulance Service error

A Middlesbrough councillor is calling for an independent inquiry into a family's claims that a man died because a 999 call handler refused to send an ambulance fast enough.

Steven Barley suffered a seizure and chest pains before his death in June.

The family dialled 999 but were told his condition was not life threatening. The ambulance service has since admitted a mistake was made.

Councillor Barry Coppinger said he would write to the secretary of state.

Mr Coppinger is a former chair of the town's emergency planning committee.

"I do think there is a need for an independent inquiry and assessment into what the NEAS is doing," he said.

"An internal inquiry is not good enough when a life has been lost."

He said two inquiries should be carried out, one into Mr Barley's case and a general inquiry into how the North East Ambulance Trust is operated.

He said this second inquiry was needed following allegations that the call handling system was inflexible.

One of those who spoke out was a former ambulance call handler, Karen Breslin, who worked for 11 years at the Teesside control room.

She said: "When you get more of a complex call the system can't deal with that.

"It's a flow chart system and it doesn't know how to deal with one or more problems.

"When you get someone with a multitude of problems, I don't trust it."

The ambulance service has defended its call handling system and its six week training scheme.

In a statement it said the Pathways system used by call handlers to determine whether or not an ambulance was needed had "undergone a full independent evaluation" commissioned by the Department of Health.

This article is courtesy of BBC News.

NHS set up helpline to deal with breast surgeon concerns

An NHS helpline has been set up for patients of the breast cancer surgeon Ian Paterson who is being investigated for possible misconduct.

Dr Aresh Anwar, medical director for Solihull Hospital, said: "We have invited all of Mr Paterson's patients who underwent a mastectomy to see an alternative surgeon for a review of their treatment and care.

"We are keen to hear from any patient who may have concerns or further questions and have set up a helpline to ensure that these can be addressed quickly."

The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust advice line can be contacted on 0121 424 5473 between 9am and midday, Monday to Friday.

This article is courtesy of itv news.

Brazilian model dies after liposuction operation

A Brazilian model and actress died on the operating table during a liposuction surgery.
 
Police are investigating the fatal haemorrhage suffer by Pamela Baris do Nascimento, 27, following claims that her liver could have been punctured during the procedure on October 19.

It was the third time the actress, who was also studying biomedicine, had undergone liposuction.

Concerns were also raised when it emerged that her death at the Green Hill Hospital in Sao Paulo was not registered until 10 days later.

Miss Nascimento’s aunt reported the case to police in Ipiranga, in the city’s Zona Sul.

The lawyer acting for the family told Brazilian press he believed Miss Nascimento’s death may have been caused by medical malpractice.

He added Júlio César Yoshimura, the surgeon who carried out the operation, could face manslaughter charges.

Officers investigating the death will ask authorities to exhume her body for tests.

Miss Nascimento, who was originally from Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, had been living in Sao Paulo. She was raised by her aunt after her mother died when she was six.

The presenter had appeared on TV programmes including Brazilian variety show O Melhor do Brasil.

Evandro Luiz de Melo Lemos, the officer responsible for the case, said: “Everything suggests that the procedure was correct. But normally, in the case of an accident, it should have been reported to the police.”

In a statement, the hospital said it had launched an internal inquiry.

It said Dr Yoshimuro was licensed to practise and had rented operating rooms at the private clinic.

“The hospital provided all the necessary resources for the adequate treatment of Pamela Baris Nascimento. However, it is with great sadness that this occurred,” the statement said.

A spokesman at Dr Yoshimuro’s office declined to comment this morning and said no further information was available.

This article is courtesy of The Telegraph.