A PARAMEDIC who failed to spot the fractured skull of a two-year-old boy, hours before he died, was cautioned for misconduct at an employment tribunal.
A Health Professions Council panel said Andrew Orme was not responsible for the death of Lewis Urmson-Brown, but that his failings in relation to the case were “serious”.
It earlier determined that the paramedic conducted an insufficient examination of the youngster from Rurncorn, Cheshire, and failed to give adequate advice to his parents.
It was also found that the paramedic did not honestly account for the time he spent on the emergency call, and did not insist forcefully enough that the toddler be taken to hospital.
But, despite ruling that his fitness to practise is impaired, the HPC panel decided that Mr Orme had “learnt from this experience” and opted against striking off or suspending the paramedic.
Instead, he was handed a caution order which will remain on the books for four years.
In announcing the decision, panel chairman Dr Alexander Yule said that the child did not die as a result of the paramedic’s “shortcomings”.
But, nonetheless, his failings were “serious” and warranted a “lengthy” caution order.
Mr Orme has 28 days to appeal against the ruling.
Lewis suffered the fatal injury in June, 2008, following the fall at a playground near his home. His concerned parents dialled 999 that evening and he was seen by paramedics at around 7.40pm.
But the child was pronounced dead at Warrington Hospital early the next day after his parents called for an ambulance a second time.
The first examination of the child, conducted by Mr Orme, lasted around 15 minutes, the panel earlier heard.
They ruled that although a torch was shone into the toddler’s eyes, “Mr Orme did not sufficiently assess Patient A’s interaction with his surroundings.”
He also failed to conduct a Glasgow Coma Scale test that checks the conscious state of an individual.
In addition, the child’s parents were not told in “sufficiently clear and forceful” language that the child should be taken to hospital.
