Paramedic was ‘unfit’ to carry defibrillator to dying patient

A PARAMEDIC has been struck off after he failed to take a defibrillator to a dying patient because he had a bad back and couldn’t carry the equipment.

David Prideaux admitted failing to take the life-saving kit to the man, who suffered a cardiac arrest and died at the scene, a health panel found.

The Health and Care Professions Council said Mr Prideaux had not disclosed his health condition to superiors at Yorkshire Ambulance Service. As a result of the injury, he was effectively unfit for duty.

Mr Prideaux said he did not take the defibrillator because he was in “a great deal of pain and discomfort”. He had suffered “disc damage, which was not anticipated to improve” and had been off work for several years. His condition became worse after he was assaulted in 2013.

Mr Prideaux attended a 999 call to the patient’s home in Hull on Jan 25 last year. He was first on the scene and, after finding the patient in the bathroom, tried to resuscitate him.

He was joined by a colleague, who later discovered the defibrillator had not been used and found there was “no electrical activity” in the man’s heart.

The panel said: “Mr Prideaux’s actions fell short of what would be regarded as proper in the circumstances, in failing to carry the defibrillator, being unfit for duty and failing to communicate this to his manager”.

Stephane Pandit, panel chairman, said Mr Prideaux had brought his profession into “disrepute”.