Boy died after paramedics took him to A&E 21 miles away

March 8, 2017

Callum Cartlidge suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Redditch, Worcester
Paramedics wanted to take him to Alexandra Hospital just 1.9m from his home
However, shockingly he was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital 21m away
NHS has announced that an investigation into the incident would be launched

Alex Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
12:56 EST, 7 March 2017

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Updated:
19:41 EST, 7 March 2017

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Callum Cartlidge suffered a heart attack at home in Redditch, Worcester

An eight-year-old boy died of a heart attack after paramedics took him to an AE department 21 miles from his home rather than a hospital less than two miles away.

Callum Cartlidge suffered a heart attack at home in Redditch, Worcester, at 3.25pm on Friday after he had been diagnosed with tonsillitis, stomach ache and high blood pressure days earlier.

His parents said ambulance staff wanted to take him to the Alexandra Hospital just 1.9 miles away from the family home.

But instead they were sent to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, 21 miles away in Worcester.

The paramedics managed to get the youngster to the AE department in 23 minutes but sadly nothing could be done to save him.

Posting on Facebook, his distraught mother wrote: ‘RIP my darling son Callum. Words cannot describe how we are all feeling.

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‘I love you so much son, fly high baby boy I will see you again I promise. Goodnight darling.’

The schoolboy’s death comes in the middle of a consultation period as to whether children’s services should be kept at the Alexandra Hospital.

In September it was announced no paediatric emergencies would be taken to Alexandra.

Paramedics were directed away from Alexandra Hospital 1.9miles from Callum’s home in Redditch, Worcester

NHS bosses said patients would be transferred instead to Worcestershire Royal Hospital as the Alexandra ‘didn’t have the staff to ensure patient safety.’

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed an investigation would be launched.

They said: ‘We can confirm that a patient died on Friday afternoon at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

‘The trust offers sincere condolences to the family.

‘As with any sudden unexpected death in childhood there will be a referral to the coroner, a post mortem and a full external sudden unexpected deaths in childhood (SUDIC) investigation as well as our own internal processes for an serious incident investigation.

‘Until our investigations have been completed we cannot comment further.’

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed it took 23 minutes to get Callum from his home to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

They said: ‘We were called to an address in Redditch at 3.26pm on Friday March 3 to reports of an eight year old boy in cardiac arrest.

At the time of Callum’s cardiac arrest NHS bosses said patients were being transferred to Worcestershire Royal Hospital as the Alexandra ‘didn’t have the staff to ensure patient safety’

‘A rapid response vehicle arrived five minutes after the call. The paramedic immediately started life support.

‘An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards. Together the three members of staff performed advanced life support.

‘The ambulance left scene for Worcestershire Royal Hospital at 3.42pm with the crew continuing to treat the patient; it arrived at hospital 23 minutes later, at 4.05pm.

‘Having reviewed the case, there is no doubt that the ambulance staff did absolutely everything possible to help the child.

‘Our thoughts remain with his family.’

Neal Stote, the former chairman of the Save the Alexandra hospital campaign, said the incident made a ‘mockery’ of having an AE unit at the Redditch hospital.

Pictured: The 23-mile route that the paramedics took to Worcestershire Royal Hospital from Callum’s home in Redditch

He added: ‘This is dreadful, dreadful shocking news.

‘We warned, we shouted, we protested, we were ignored and now our worst fears.

‘An enquiry has to be held to find out how this happened but the trust had been warned countless times of something like this.

‘It makes a mockery of having the red Accident Emergency sign for the Alex.

‘Are they trying tell us that they didn’t have the kit or the expertise to help that child at the Alex?

‘In that case why the red sign for AE?

‘Parents would go to the moon to help their child but it’s no good if they don’t know which is the right place to take them.

‘It breaks my heart. I spent 11 years trying to save that AE department, if it’s no more than a minor injuries unit then for goodness sake front up and say it.’