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Suspended sentence for paramedic who failed to treat dying man (13 February 2015)

Date: 13/02/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Suspended sentence for paramedic who failed to treat dying man

Wolverhampton Crown Court has given a former paramedic an eight-month suspended prison sentence, after he failed to assist a man he saw collapsed on the ground in front of Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands.

Sky News reports that ex-paramedic Matthew Geary, 36, from Great Wyrley in Staffordshire stood with his hands in his pockets watching 47-year-old Carl Cope on the ground outside the hospital. The incident was captured on CCTV and shown to the court.

Geary assumed that Mr Cope had collapsed because he was drunk – however, he was actually having a heart attack at the time he stumbled and fell to the ground.

Video footage showed Geary talking to Mr Cope as he lay dying – and lifting and dropping his arm. However, he took no medical equipment from his ambulance to help the dying man.

After two minutes talking to him, Geary walked back to the hospital to “summon” security staff to help Mr Cope up from the ground – however, by the time help came it was too late to save Mr Cope.

At an earlier hearing, the court had heard that Geary had taken Mr Cope to hospital from his home in Bloxwich, near Walsall in June 2012, after he had called an ambulance after suffering chest pains. Geary had handed Mr Cope to nurses at the A&E department. An ECG suggested the pains were not caused by his heart condition.

Mr Cope had left the A&E department of Walsall Manor Hospital – and had gone to a nearby shop to buy a drink from a shop near the hospital.

He collapsed on his way back “in full view” of Geary and other ambulance staff, just yards away from the main entrance to the hospital.

A police inquiry reviewed CCTV footage, which showed four members of staff who walked past Mr Cope – and Geary spending two minutes with Cope as he lay on the ground.

Geary was seen chatting to staff about football as Mr Cope was “slumped” against a refuse bin near the A&E department.

At an earlier hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Geary pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws as a result of failing to conduct a proper examination of Mr Cope and failing to attempt prompt resuscitation.

At sentencing, Judge John Warner described Geary’s actions as “callous and uncaring”.

He also criticised medical staff for discussing the “ownership” of Mr Cope as he lay slumped on the ground dying.

“It was almost as if he was some kind of chattel,” Judge Warner told the court.

“Eventually you went over to him, not providing medical help and asked security to deal with it.

“Security eventually came out and tried to rouse Mr Cope, but it was all too late.

“There was no excuse in my judgement for the way you failed to act – without any justification, you had obviously come to a view about him.”

The judge said his behaviour toward Mr Cope was “totally at odds” with his job as a paramedic.

Geary has since resigned his position as a paramedic with the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors – Claims Against Paramedics

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors can advise patients who have suffered further injury as a result of failings by paramedics to attend a callout or treat a patient on how to make no win no fee Claims Against Paramedics for compensation.

Clinical negligence claims must be made within three years of an incident involving paramedic negligence – including wrong medical treatment by a paramedic.

Duncan Lewis can also advise bereaved families whose loved one has lost their life as a result of paramedic failings on how to make a no win no fee Fatal Injuries Claim.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Claims Against Paramedics, call Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

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