David Lee
28 Jun 2017 · Coroner Julie Robertson · Manchester (North)
The coroner's concerns
1. inappropriate termination of emergency calls
“the call was inappropriately terminated and that this may continue in the future.”
2. missed escalation of medical assistance
“missed opportunity to escalate the urgency of the requirement for medical assistance due to the call being terminated”
3. lack of guidance on call termination
“Since the call guidance has not been circulated to members of call handling staff regarding in what circumstances it is appropriate to terminate call and when a call handler should, as a matter of best practice, remain on the line with the patient”
4. lack of training on call termination
“no training given to staff since the deceased's death to address when it is appropriate to terminate calls with patients”
Responses
2017-0432.pdf ↗· NWAS
Stated action
“the Trust have revised the relevant guidance in respect of incidents where call takers should remain on the line and have circulated this to all EOC Supervisors, with the following key points emphasized as direct learning from this case: e First party callers who are not alert cannot be disconnected after 10 minutes. The call takers should remain on the line.”