Levi Alleyne
4 Nov 2022 · Coroner Katy Thorne · Berkshire
The coroner's concerns
1. contacting DNO for electrical isolation
“At the time of the incident, the SCAS operator did not have any instruction in their Standard Operating Procedure to contact the local [DNO] to ensure that the electricity was cut off. There is no such instruction in the national Standard Operating Procedure.”
2. lack of national DNO emergency number
“There is considerable potential for confusion for ambulance control centres as there is not one national DNO emergency number to contact. There are 14 licensed DNOs and 12 ambulance service trusts in England and Wales with different boundaries. Ambulance control centres frequently pick up calls from other ambulance trust areas at times of high demand. The ambulance control centre must find the relevant DNO to contact and the relevant number for that DNO.”
3. delay in CPR due to electrical hazard concerns
“There was a delay in Mr [name redacted] receiving CPR due to concerns about electricity still being live. There are thousands of incidents every day involving OHPLs. There is a risk that future deaths may occur due to confusion regarding electrical hazards.”
4. future deaths from electrical hazard confusion
“The potential for future deaths is two-fold: - unnecessary delay to life-saving treatment being given due to the fear (well- founded or otherwise) that OHPLs are still live, - or potentially, by-standers or emergency services putting their lives at risk by approaching patients near electrical hazards where OHPLs remain live.”