Patient declared 'dead' by paramedics in ambulance wakes up in hospital

16 October 2023 , 12:34

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A patient was declared dead but later woke up in hospital (Stock photo) (Image: Getty Images)

An ambulance trust has apologised after a patient who was declared "dead" later woke up in hospital.

The individual, who had been declared dead following an incident, was taken by paramedics to Darlington Memorial Hospital on Friday - but later woke up in hospital. The patient, who has not been identified, later died, Durham Police confirmed.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) apologised to the patient's family and launched an inquiry. Director of paramedicine Andrew Hodge said: “As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we contacted the patient’s family and launched a review into the circumstances.

“The paramedics on scene were faced with a complex clinical case and we are working closely with our partners and other agencies involved to understand the full picture of what happened. Until this review is completed, we cannot comment further.

“We are deeply sorry for the distress that this has caused to the family and have sent them our condolences during this time. We are supporting them as well through this process. The colleagues involved are also being supported appropriately. Our review of this incident will of course be shared with the coroner and the police, acting upon the coroner’s direction, to determine what happened.”

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Durham Police confirmed they are investigating following the death of a woman in her 50s. A spokeswoman said: "The death is currently being treated as unexpected and a postmortem will now be carried out."

The incident, first reported by the Northern Echo, comes just five months after a critical report was published into how NEAS ambulance workers had covered up failings and withheld evidence from inquests. Following her report into the service, Dame Marianne Griffiths paid tribute to the families who shared their experiences, and said: "It is clear that they are not only devastated by the loss of their loved ones but also by the ambulance service's response to the legitimate questions about their care."

Tom Wilkinson