MILLARD: PARAMEDIC MADE CURRY REMARK AS GRANDMOTHER SUFFERED BRAIN HAEMORRHAGE

A paramedic today (weds) apologised to the family of a grandmother who died from a brain haemorrhage after admitting he made an insensitive remark as he treated her.

Keith Millard was ‘dismissive, abrupt and rude’ and told the woman’s relatives her condition was not life-threatening.

The woman, referred to as Patient A, collapsed at her home in Birmingham after suffering from severe headaches.

Millard said she was suffering from ‘something like an ear infection or food poisoning’ and referred her to a walk-in clinic rather than rushing her to nearby Selly Oak hospital on January 31 last year.

She later fell in to a coma and died from a brain haemorrhage, the Health Professions Council heard.

Millard also made insensitive comments, including referring to blood in the woman’s vomit as remnants of ‘the curry she had eaten the night before’.

Patient A’s daughters later made a complaint to West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, who conducted an investigation before the matter was referred to the HPC.

Millard, who qualified as a paramedic in 1989, today (weds) admitted failing to take Patient A to hospital, making an accurate diagnosis of her condition and adequately completing a patient report form.

He also admitted displaying a dismissive, abrupt and rude manner and making an insensitive comment.

Dressed in uniform, he apologised for his behaviour, saying: ‘I’m sorry that my demeanour appeared in that way to the family, my intention was to be professional.

‘In hindsight it was an insensitive comment but it wasn’t intended to offend the family.

‘I regret not taking your mum to hospital at the time.

‘In my 21 years as a paramedic I have always tried to do my best for the patient.’

Gemma Gillet, for the HPC, told the hearing Millard had not viewed the woman’s condition as serious – despite her suffering sever headaches.

‘He referred her to a walk-in clinic and Patient A’s daughters took her there by car,’ she said.

‘After just a short visit, she was transferred to the A & E department at Selly Oak hospital.

‘She later fell into a coma and died of a brain haemorrhage.’

Giving evidence in tears, Patient A’s daughter said: ‘I arrived at my mother’s home a few minutes before the ambulance and found her lying on the floor in the hall way, I thought she was having a stroke.

‘She kept saying she felt freezing so I put a quilt over her and a pillow under her head. I just panicked seeing her on the floor.

‘My sister told me mum said ‘my head’s killing me’ and as soon as I walked in I saw she had a black eye and swelling.

‘She went outside the property with her young son and I stayed with mum while the paramedic attended to her.

‘Mum kept saying she had a terrible headache and she wasn’t right.’

Patient A’s daughter described Millard’s attitude towards the situation as ‘dismissive’, adding: ‘Mum was vomiting so I got a bowl from the ambulance, I looked in it and I thought I saw blood.

‘He said “it’s probably tomato from the curry she had last night”, and “she doesn’t need a hospital for that”.

‘My mother was not the sort of person who didn’t go to work when she didn’t feel well, she was quite a hardy person. She wouldn’t have asked for help unless she needed it.

‘Keith Millard made us feel it wasn’t serious enough to warrant a call to the ambulance service.

‘When he told us it wasn’t life threatening, probably something like an ear infection or food poisoning, I wanted to believe it so I went along with it.

‘But looking back I should have insisted, and that’s something we will have to come to terms with.’

Despite admitting five charges, Millard denies misconduct or that his fitness to practice is impaired.

The hearing continues.

ENDS