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| Paramedic 'failed' meningitis victim inquest hears | Paramedic 'failed' meningitis victim inquest hears |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A paramedic missed an opportunity to deliver vital care which could have saved a Bristol meningitis victim's life, a coroner has said. | |
| Mthuthuzeli Mpongwana waited for almost six hours for an ambulance but was initially told by a paramedic he had "man flu". He died two days later. | Mthuthuzeli Mpongwana waited for almost six hours for an ambulance but was initially told by a paramedic he had "man flu". He died two days later. |
| Senior coroner for Avon, Maria Voisin, ruled there were "failings" in his care and reached a narrative conclusion. | Senior coroner for Avon, Maria Voisin, ruled there were "failings" in his care and reached a narrative conclusion. |
| The ambulance trust has apologised for the "unacceptable delays" in his case. | The ambulance trust has apologised for the "unacceptable delays" in his case. |
| Ms Voisin said: "Mr Mpongwana died from natural causes contributed to by a failure to take appropriate action in the face of an obvious need. | Ms Voisin said: "Mr Mpongwana died from natural causes contributed to by a failure to take appropriate action in the face of an obvious need. |
| "That failure was at 1:50am on January 6, when a P1 (high priority ambulance) back-up should have been requested and benzylpenicillin should have been administered. | "That failure was at 1:50am on January 6, when a P1 (high priority ambulance) back-up should have been requested and benzylpenicillin should have been administered. |
| "The inappropriate care that was given resulted in a missed opportunity for medical treatment to be given." | "The inappropriate care that was given resulted in a missed opportunity for medical treatment to be given." |
| Mr Mpongwana's wife, Lisa Armitage, called the 111 NHS non-emergency number at 22:30 GMT on 5 January, reporting her husband was suffering from a sore neck, struggled to look at light and had a bad headache. | Mr Mpongwana's wife, Lisa Armitage, called the 111 NHS non-emergency number at 22:30 GMT on 5 January, reporting her husband was suffering from a sore neck, struggled to look at light and had a bad headache. |
| Symptoms dismissed | Symptoms dismissed |
| She was advised to wait outside her home and that a rapid response vehicle with blue lights on would attend. She was also warned her husband could have meningitis. | She was advised to wait outside her home and that a rapid response vehicle with blue lights on would attend. She was also warned her husband could have meningitis. |
| Avon Coroners Court heard that paramedic Dana Noriega failed to spot signs of both sepsis and meningitis and dismissed his symptoms as "man flu". | Avon Coroners Court heard that paramedic Dana Noriega failed to spot signs of both sepsis and meningitis and dismissed his symptoms as "man flu". |
| The court also heard Mr Noriega failed to administer penicillin which should have been given as soon as possible. | The court also heard Mr Noriega failed to administer penicillin which should have been given as soon as possible. |
| Points West's health correspondent, Matthew Hill: | |
| This case highlights the extreme pressure that lone paramedics can face. | |
| In this case Mr Noriega was dealing not only with a suspected meningitis sufferer but also with a man who had just told him he had HIV as well as treatment for TB. | |
| It is perhaps revealing the trust have introduced improvements in back up for lone practitioners off the back of this sad case. | |
| Other delays were made by downgrading the case and failing to call for a high-priority ambulance until 03:50, by which time his condition had deteriorated. | Other delays were made by downgrading the case and failing to call for a high-priority ambulance until 03:50, by which time his condition had deteriorated. |
| He suffered a brain injury and died in hospital the following day. | He suffered a brain injury and died in hospital the following day. |
| A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Trust said it was "very sorry for the unacceptable delays Mr Mpongwana suffered" and had explained its findings to his wife Lisa. | A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Trust said it was "very sorry for the unacceptable delays Mr Mpongwana suffered" and had explained its findings to his wife Lisa. |
| He added that "a number of improvements have been identified, especially around requests for back-up from clinicians on scene with patients who need to be transported to hospital". | He added that "a number of improvements have been identified, especially around requests for back-up from clinicians on scene with patients who need to be transported to hospital". |
| Mr Noriega's case has been referred to the Health Care Professions Council and he has since left the trust. | Mr Noriega's case has been referred to the Health Care Professions Council and he has since left the trust. |
| The trust was told by the coroner that no further action was needed. | The trust was told by the coroner that no further action was needed. |