Medics’ ‘toe tagging’ fear during pandemic

PARAMEDICS feared they would be ordered to scrap life-saving treatment for younger age groups if the pandemic hit catastrophic levels, an inquiry heard.

Frontline workers told the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry that ‘toe tagging’ – putting a tag on a body in the morgue for identification and information purposes – had been discussed in terms of whether younger patients would be resuscitated.

Robert Pollock, who worked as a frontline paramedic at the height of the pandemic, said crews were warned of what to expect if the crisis got worse.

He said discussions were held over the possibility that Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders would have to be extended from the over-70s to the over-50s.

The inquiry has previously heard of the widespread use of DNR orders during the Covid19 crisis. But Mr Pollock yesterday told of the expectations placed on frontline staff in the event of the pandemic’s death toll rocketing.

There is no age limit to be eligible for resuscitation, the inquiry was told, with paramedics battling to save every life and a minimum of at least 20 minutes of advanced life support recommended.

But Mr Pollock said: ‘My recollection is absolutely clear. There was discussion around age grouping for toe-tagging. In other words, people over a certain age, your normal attempts at resuscitation would be minimised.’ He said ‘as a consequence of the discussions’ there was ‘mention [of] 70 and over initially’.

Mr Pollock, GMB Scotland branch secretary for West Ambulance Control Centre, based in Cardonald, Glasgow, told the inquiry: ‘The forecast worst case scenario was 3,600 deaths per day if it invaded the population to a gross extent.’

He said there was a ‘70, 60, 50’ process which had been discussed, which would have seen the age drop to people in their 50s.

And he revealed the Health and Care Professions Council sent paramedics a letter which ‘basically said they realise there’s tough times ahead and, if you had to work out[side] your normal levels of professional expectations, they would support you greatly’.

He said: ‘The way it was worded, I think, the only interpretation that people could make would be... not giving your full attempt at resuscitation to certain patients dependent on age or condition in some places. That didn’t sit well.’

He said the ‘type of potential expectation’ caused paramedics ‘a lot of fear and alarm’.

The inquiry continues.