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| Paramedics told woman suffering fatal reaction to painkillers to 'stop faking it' | Paramedics told woman suffering fatal reaction to painkillers to 'stop faking it' |
| (8 days later) | |
| An ambulance service has been accused of a failure to provide “the most basic care” after a women who suffered a fatal reaction to painkillers was accused of “faking it” by paramedics. | An ambulance service has been accused of a failure to provide “the most basic care” after a women who suffered a fatal reaction to painkillers was accused of “faking it” by paramedics. |
| Beatrice Lovane, 22, had an undiagnosed liver condition and fell ill after taking co-codamol tablets for her stomach pain. | Beatrice Lovane, 22, had an undiagnosed liver condition and fell ill after taking co-codamol tablets for her stomach pain. |
| An inquest heard how paramedics from North West ambulance service told Lovane to “stop humiliating” herself and to walk to the ambulance when they attended the scene last August. | An inquest heard how paramedics from North West ambulance service told Lovane to “stop humiliating” herself and to walk to the ambulance when they attended the scene last August. |
| Lovane was left struggling to breathe, lying in a stairwell “that was dirty with vomit and other bodily fluids, for a prolonged period of time”, the court in Heywood heard. She was then taken to Fairfield Hospital in Bury, where she was pronounced dead less than two hours later. | Lovane was left struggling to breathe, lying in a stairwell “that was dirty with vomit and other bodily fluids, for a prolonged period of time”, the court in Heywood heard. She was then taken to Fairfield Hospital in Bury, where she was pronounced dead less than two hours later. |
| “When her eyes were rolling one paramedic said to her: ‘Stop being funny and behave yourself’,” her mother, Maria Lovane, told the coroner’s court. “They told me she was faking it and doing it for attention. They were trying to pull her down the stairs and she went onto her knees and collapsed at the front entrance. | “When her eyes were rolling one paramedic said to her: ‘Stop being funny and behave yourself’,” her mother, Maria Lovane, told the coroner’s court. “They told me she was faking it and doing it for attention. They were trying to pull her down the stairs and she went onto her knees and collapsed at the front entrance. |
| “I requested for a wheelchair and one of them said to me: ‘We are not giving her a wheelchair, there is nothing wrong with her legs.’ She collapsed again and they said to her: ‘What are you doing, stop humiliating yourself and walk to the ambulance.’” | “I requested for a wheelchair and one of them said to me: ‘We are not giving her a wheelchair, there is nothing wrong with her legs.’ She collapsed again and they said to her: ‘What are you doing, stop humiliating yourself and walk to the ambulance.’” |
| Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Lisa Hashmi said there had been “a gross failure to provide the most basic care to Beatrice Lovane”. | Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Lisa Hashmi said there had been “a gross failure to provide the most basic care to Beatrice Lovane”. |
| She said that she was “deeply disappointed” that it had taken footage from a police body camera to come to light “to establish the truth of this matter”. “I am deeply disappointed by professionals who do not appear to have been completely open from the outset,” she said. | She said that she was “deeply disappointed” that it had taken footage from a police body camera to come to light “to establish the truth of this matter”. “I am deeply disappointed by professionals who do not appear to have been completely open from the outset,” she said. |
| “But that is not a matter for this court. That will be a matter for their employer and regulatory body, but I am assured that steps are being taken in relation to their actions. Families shouldn’t have to beg for care and investigation.” | “But that is not a matter for this court. That will be a matter for their employer and regulatory body, but I am assured that steps are being taken in relation to their actions. Families shouldn’t have to beg for care and investigation.” |
| She added: “I have to make clear that this is not reflective of the overall care provided by this trust and public services across the country are under significant pressure and on the whole the ambulance service provides good and sensitive care to the public that it serves. | She added: “I have to make clear that this is not reflective of the overall care provided by this trust and public services across the country are under significant pressure and on the whole the ambulance service provides good and sensitive care to the public that it serves. |
| “It is not going to bring Beatrice back but let this be a lesson to others and don’t let this happen to any other families.” | “It is not going to bring Beatrice back but let this be a lesson to others and don’t let this happen to any other families.” |
| Giving evidence, both paramedics said they wished they had handled the situation differently. A spokeswoman for North West ambulance service said: “The trust would like to express its sincere condolences to Miss Lovane’s family for their very sad loss. We appreciate this must be a difficult time for them. | Giving evidence, both paramedics said they wished they had handled the situation differently. A spokeswoman for North West ambulance service said: “The trust would like to express its sincere condolences to Miss Lovane’s family for their very sad loss. We appreciate this must be a difficult time for them. |
| “We did receive a complaint from the family in March 2017, and a full and thorough investigation was undertaken. We fully accept that the level of care Miss Lovane received was below the standard we would expect and did not uphold the trust’s values. | “We did receive a complaint from the family in March 2017, and a full and thorough investigation was undertaken. We fully accept that the level of care Miss Lovane received was below the standard we would expect and did not uphold the trust’s values. |
| “New evidence was recently been disclosed and as a result of this, the staff involved have been suspended from duty pending further investigation. | “New evidence was recently been disclosed and as a result of this, the staff involved have been suspended from duty pending further investigation. |
| “We would like to reassure the public that we have taken this matter extremely seriously and will co-operate fully with the regulators and authorities. We expect all our staff to uphold our values in terms of respect, dignity and compassion and anyone who doesn’t risks losing their position within the North West ambulance service.” | “We would like to reassure the public that we have taken this matter extremely seriously and will co-operate fully with the regulators and authorities. We expect all our staff to uphold our values in terms of respect, dignity and compassion and anyone who doesn’t risks losing their position within the North West ambulance service.” |