A mother-of-two died tragic shortly after an ambulance that was only a few minutes from her house, was finished by an operator, heard an investigation.
Karen Ovenell complained about sharp pain in her chests before she died in her sleep last summer.
The 43-year-old had called emergency services and an ambulance was on the way to her house in Harrietsham, Kent.
But with the vehicle a little more than five minutes away, a clinical supervisor has 'incorrect' reduced the seriousness of Mrs. Ovenell after he had only spoken to her by telephone for two minutes.
The operator did not believe that the symptoms of Mrs. Ovenell were cardiac, but she died of heart conditions later that night.
Since then, her family has criticized the ambulance service to cancel the attention of the emergency situation that they think they could have saved her life.
Mrs. Ovenell's father, Arthur Ovenell, said that his daughter was 'disappointed', and added that he would never forgive those who would not offer her care in her time of need.
“If they were founded that night, she could have had a chance,” said 68-year-old MR Ovenell. “I really believe that the ambulance service and NHS are abandoning her.
Karen Ovenell (photo) died in her sleep last summer of heart conditions that complained about sharp pains in her chest. The 43-year-old had called emergency services and an ambulance was on the way to her house in Harrietsham, Kent
But with the ambulance a little more than five minutes away, a clinical supervisor reduced the seriousness of her case by phone after she had only spoken to her for two minutes, convincing that her symptoms were not based
The father of Mrs. Ovenell, Arthur Ovenell (photo), said that his daughter 'was disappointed', adding that he would never forgive those who would not offer her care in her time of need
'If the caller had done their work well, Karen would be here. She was such a sweet girl. She thought the world of her two sons.
“We were very close. I miss her so much. I felt that my world fell apart. You hear that it happens to others, but not with you. '
Mr. Ovenell, who described his daughter as a great mother and an animal lover, said he would be angry 'until the day I was bull' about the events of that evening in August.
He added: “I just want someone to take into account what happened.”
A study in Maidstone, Kent, heard that Mrs. Ovenell 999 had called shortly after midnight, in the morning of August 16, and an ambulance of category 2 was sent to her house eight minutes later.
Category 2 Ambulance Means are controlled to treat serious conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, sepsis or large burns and strive to be at the patient within 18 minutes.
Assistant -but James Dillon heard that at 12.37 a segmentation -call to assess whether the seriousness of a case could be upgraded or downgraded -was made to Mrs. Ovenell by clinical supervisor Joshua Aicken -bowley.
The investigation heard Mr Aicken-Bowley, who has since left his role at the South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb), decided within two minutes that Mrs. Ovenell's symptoms were not based and the incoming ambulance arose, her advisory to try To get trying to try to try to get trying to try to try to try to get trying to try to get some sleep.
Vikki Lewis, a manager of clinical operations at Secamb, explained that a serious research report and audit of Mr Aicken-Bowley's call has shown that he had made the decision from his own experience, without the tool for the primary and acute care system (PACS) to use the case.
Mr. Ovenell described his daughter as a great mother and an animal lover and said he would be angry 'until the day I die'
The research heard that he received an audits score of 50 percent for the call, with a pass mark 8 percent.
The audit, completed by an experienced paramedician and doctor, added that Mr Aicken-Bowley had taken an 'incorrect' decision and 'concluded conclusions and assumed that this was not a heart based on his own experiences and assessment'.
The report added: “The decision was unsafe and without based evidence.”
The court also heard that the patient was 'convinced' by the clinical supervisor, who 'had worked outside the usual workline', to book a general practitioner appointment or to go to A&E instead.
Mrs. Lewis said the court that there was no information about exactly where the ambulance was at the time of the second call, but remembered from a report that there was about six minutes before the ambulance arrived at Mrs. Ovenell's house.
Darragh Coffey, who represents the father of Mrs. Ovenell and her partner, Paul Chimes, that Mr Aicken-Bowley went through the PACS tool with Mrs. Ovenell after he had canceled the ambulance.
The call went on for 14 minutes and ended at 12.52 hours – about nine minutes after the ambulance arrived.
Mr Coffey argued that it would have been better to make the paramedics attended personally to Mrs. Ovenell to judge her instead of canceling the call within two minutes.
When the paramedics had arrived, the investigation heard that an electrocardiogram (ECG) would have been completed, that would probably have seen a heart attack and saw Mrs. Ovenell hurried to the hospital.
Mr Aicken-Bowley, who gave evidence, was asked about his call with Mrs. Ovenell and why he made the ambulance.
He explained how after speaking with Mrs. Ovenell believed that her symptoms were not life -threatening or heart -related because she did not sound breathless and her sharp, shooting pains were not typical of a heart attack, often with a crushing pain.
Mr Aicken-Bowley added that the standard waiting time for an ambulance of category 3 can be everywhere up to six hours, which means that Mrs. Ovenell would have saved much more time by bringing himself to A&E in Maidstone Hospital, about 20 minutes Distance.
Darragh Coffey, who represents the father of Mrs. Ovenell and her partner, Paul Chimes, that Mr Aicken-Bowley went through the PACS tool with Mrs. Ovenell after he had canceled the ambulance. Shown: Mrs. Ovenell with her partner Paul Chimes
Mrs Ovenell, however, had a young child asleep at home and chose to make a general practitioner appointment in the afternoon.
Mrs. Ovenell was then advised to try to sleep and call 999 or to go to A&E as quickly as possible if her symptoms deteriorated.
But the investigation heard that unfortunately she died early in her sleep that morning.
A pathology report revealed the cause of death of the mother as ischemic heart disease.
Mr Aicken-Bowley said he did not think that an ambulance of category 2 was required on the basis of his 'professional judgment', stating the breathing of Mrs. Ovenell and age as a factor.
At her shooting pains he said: “I have never seen anyone present this kind of heart attack before.”
When Mr Coffey's question about the ambulance, Mr. Aicken-Bowley explained: 'I was not clinically suspicious of a coronary cause.
'If we believe that an ambulance is not required, we would stop it.
'The purpose of the segmentation process is to take category 2 call -outs if it is safe to do this.
“The purpose of the call is to get information quickly and to make a decision about re -assigning resources.”
The investigation heard that trust had 64 calls outstanding in the night of the death of Mrs. Ovenell – with only six ambulances in the area.
Mr Coffey emphasized that clinical supervisors made decisions in seconds about the purchase of calls were unable to gain access to general practitioners about BMI, blood pressure, smoking or alcohol habits of patients.
He asked Mr Aicken-Bowley if, if an ambulance had been sent, Mrs. Ovenell would have had an ECG that would have discovered the problem.
“Yes, probably,” replied Mr Aicken Bowley.
As a result of the death of Mrs. Ovenell, Secamb has made changes to the way in which it has similar calls, including supervisors who are now unable to stop an ambulance that is on their way to a patient.
A spokesperson for the service said: 'Our thoughts and condolences are at this difficult time with the family and friends of Mrs. Ovenell.
“After a thorough investigation, we took steps to improve our training and operational processes, shared learning from the incident with our clinicians and, after they have attended the investigation, will continue to work with the coroner prior to their findings.”
