ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by crow_bag

While this is undoubtably a tragedy the post mortem was unable to determine a cause of death and the Ambulance Service and NHS Trust said it was impossible to say if being refused admission lead to the childs death.

From a legal point of view you are correct.

I await their explanation for the other several hundred deaths though.

In the general case, a sick baby was refused admission to a hospital that has both an A&E department and a paediatric ward, and died before she could get to the next nearest hospital. All the excuses and protocols under the sun will not make that right.

An unpredictable series of events meant that treatment was delayed by a few minutes and it turned out to be too long. Everybody involved did everything they could, but no matter how well prepared you are, things like this will always happen.

On the bright side, the parents look like scum so we've probably saved a few hundred grand in future welfare payments.

This is not one isolated incident

BBC News - Hospital left patients 'sobbing and humiliated'

If it were any other hospital then it would be just another tragedy but they are well past the benefit of the doubt.

Originally Posted by roadster280

In the general case, a sick baby was refused admission to a hospital that has both an A&E department and a paediatric ward, and died before she could get to the next nearest hospital. All the excuses and protocols under the sun will not make that right.

Indeed, should the hospital knowing that it didn't have the capacity to treat her have accepted her and hoped for the best or should they have said no we can't do it, we have more than we can cope with right now and concluded that her best chances lay elsewhere?

Originally Posted by roadster280

In the general case, a sick baby was refused admission to a hospital that has both an A&E department and a paediatric ward, and died before she could get to the next nearest hospital. All the excuses and protocols under the sun will not make that right.

True, but the child being admitted to an already full ward that was dealing with an emergency may have delayed treatment just as long as the drive to the other hospital.

Originally Posted by roadster280

In the general case, a sick baby was refused admission to a hospital that has both an A&E department and a paediatric ward, and died before she could get to the next nearest hospital. All the excuses and protocols under the sun will not make that right.

The A&E department was closed and the paediatric ward was dealing with another emergency. Nothing could be done. It's not wrong, it's just sad.

The (deliberately emotive) word 'refused' is what you're all getting angry about, but the best surgeon in the world can't carry out two procedures at once.

The situation that resulted in them not being able to treat her has come about through years of bad managment.

If that had not happened A&E would have been fully staffed and open, they can not get people to work there as they fear being linked with the hospital.

North Staffs hospital is a further 20 miles to the north.