Brits Killed by Red Tape: NHS Scandal
As another person dies as a result of bureaucratic red tape we need to ask what kind of a system allows this to occur.
In the space of a few short weeks, two Brits have died, seemingly due to bureaucratic nonsense favoured by the NHS, over and above the basic duty of saving lives. Both died as the result of heart attacks and both may have been saved, were it not for the unbelievable behaviour of the paramedics attending the scene. They were, of course, following procedures set out by bungling officials, obsessed with health and safety regulations and form-filling, and responsible for the failure of both the NHS and the national police force, in recent years.
Case One
A man in his 60s suffered a heart attack and called paramedics. The man attending the scene spent around 15 minutes outside the property assessing risks, filling in forms and, basically, wasting valuable time that any reasonable person would have known should be spent trying to save the life of the patient. The man died. His family will never see him again and he died alone and in fear, waiting the paramedic, who was standing outside his property, scribbling on a clipboard.
Case Two
A young mum collapsed in a pub after having a heart attack. The paramedic attending refused to enter the pub because she felt intimidated and was concerned for her safety. Protection was offered by a male friend of the sick woman, but the paramedic, upon entering the pub, refused to resuscitate her because she was alone and rules state there must be another paramedic present. This leads any sensible person to ask why a single, female paramedic was dispatched to a pub, alone, at night, to treat a suspected heart-attack victim. An innocent woman lost her life and her children lost their mother, and all because of some bizarre rule implemented by those paid BY US to save OUR lives.
We Brits are charged for the “service” provided by the NHS. Ordinary, hard-working people can pay taxes throughout their lives, only to find that in their true hour of need some ridiculous rule prevents those paid to treat them from entering the property and/or attempting the correct medical procedure – a procedure that may just save them.
If this is civilisation, I think it’s gone a little too far…
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athena goodlight | Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
I’m saddened by this screwed-up system even in the medical field where people should be valuing lives first. People in the medical service better reorient their priorities.
CaSundara | Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
It’s appalling, isn’t it? It’s the pen-pushers employed by the government who’ve caused all this. Labour have done nothing for any of the institutions they supposedly support and seem, instead, to support terrorists, gypsies, criminals, and illegal immigrants (who might also be any or all of the above). Labour are damn lucky we Brits are so apathetic or they might have had a revolution on their hands.
ducroisjosef | Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
It never ceases to amaze me, how stupid bureaucrats can be. And what about these paramedics? Who follows these kinds of procedures? They need to grow a conscience.
This was a very good article. Its gotten me upset, which is a sign of good work.
CaSundara | Sep 3, 2009 | Reply
@ducroisjosef – I know… you’d think they’d say “Screw the rules, there’s a life a stake here!”, and jolly well get on with what’s RIGHT.
Thanks for your compliment, too, it’s appreciated.
Tehmina | Sep 14, 2009 | Reply
It’s a shame you can’t post this and the comments on a news website…It would be interesting to see just how many people realise how wrong the rules are and that those 2 people could be themselves or any of their loved ones, including the bureaucrats…because they are human too and they go out to pubs and restuarants, would they revise their RULES if it was them having a heart attack?? They not only need to grow a conscience, they need a healthy dose of common sense….
You are a paramedic, trained to save lives and when you get called out to save someone’s life, you fill up a questionaire FIRST?!?!?