Sandra Finch
9 May 2023 · Coroner Emma Serrano · Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire
The coroner's concerns
1. ambulance categorisation rigidity
“the pathways used by the service to categorise the level of ambulance and ridged and have no capacity for movement away from the path. This led to a type 1 diabetic patient, who was feeling sleepy and with deranged glucose levels, not being classed as a potentially serious situation requiring rapid intervention”
2. assessment team delays
“the use of an assessment team, to asses a category 3 ambulance call, with no time limit for assessments to take place, and no prioritisation system, will lead to further deaths resulting from delays”