Boy died of asthma attack after ambulance crew decided he did not need to go to hospital, inquest hears

An 11-year-old boy died from a survivable asthma attack after an ambulance crew decided not to take him to hospital, an inquest heard.

George Smith's family called 999 when he started struggling to breathe at their home in Stickney, Lincolnshire, in October 2017.

Paramedics assessed the youngster and chose to leave him with his parents after observing that he was able to stand up unaided and speak in full sentences.

But hours later he collapsed and died after suffering another severe asthma attack.

If the emergency crew had followed standard advice to take children of George's age to hospital, he would have survived, Lincolnshire Coroners' Court heard on Wednesday.

Coroner Paul Smith ruled that the child was "not thoroughly assessed" and "was not taken to hospital as he should have been".

"On the balance of probabilities he would have survived if he was taken in the first ambulance," he added.

George's parents are now suing East Midlands Ambulance Trust for medical negligence for the treatment of their son.

He had suffered with brittle asthma - a rare, severe form of the condition - since he was nine months old and a doctor had advised his parents to call an ambulance when he had attacks.

A statement read out by George’s mother Melanie Townend said the family, including his father Robert and his four sisters had spent the day together before he had asthma attacks later on.

It read: “It was a severe form of asthma and was something he learnt to live with. An asthma attack could occur suddenly and without warning.

"I can’t even describe how it feels to lose a child. My life is consumed with grief.

“His death has caused unimaginable pain that at the moment I can’t see past. His biggest fear was dying as a result of his asthma.

“Our life as a family will never be the same  again.”

Evidence from Ian Marsell, head of clinical development at East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), heard that the trust had acted upon a number of failings found after the incident.

A report found that insufficient medical history was taken to help make the decision on how serious the condition was.

It also found that standard advice is that a child should be taken to hospital at that age.

A letter read out at the inquest from EMAS said: “Tragically we have identified that there was a failure to adequately follow the paediatric care policy.

"This meant that George was not fully assessed in accordance with the trust policy and taken to hospital during the early hours of October 23, 2017.

“The trust deeply regrets this failure. Had George been admitted following the first ambulance, whilst he would have been extremely unwell, he would have likely have survived.”

The trust said failings have been addressed following the report with modules on brittle asthma being taught face to face and in online lessons.