Fury as Richard Madeley hits out at Bridgnorth baby paramedics
Ambulance chiefs today demanded a retraction from TV presenter Richard Madeley after he publicly accused paramedics in Shropshire of putting their lunch break above a patient's care.
Madeley used his column in the Daily Express to highlight the case of Bridgnorth baby Thomas Passant, who was taken ill with a blood clot on his heart and waited 41 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
Paramedics had been with the family within 15 minutes but an ambulance had to travel from Donnington in Telford.
He was taken to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford where he was stabilised before going on to Birmingham Children's Hospital. The seven-week-old later had two operations.
In his article Madeley, claimed the ambulance took so long because staff were 'feeding their faces'.
However, Thomas' grandfather, Paul Passant, said Madeley was being harsh on the ambulance service and had sensationalised the incident.
He said: "The ambulance was on an undisturbed break, and that is fine. They are entitled to breaks just like everybody else. The article makes it sound like they knew there was a child in danger and ignored it, and I don't think any paramedic would do that."
Andy Proctor, paramedic spokesman for College of Paramedics members in the West Midlands, said: "It's absolutely outrageous to suggest that this or, indeed, any paramedic or ambulance crew would knowingly sit eating a meal whilst a child's life is at threat.
"We believe this article has totally misreported the facts in this case."
The article has led to hundreds of comments and tweets to the presenter both in support of the article and criticising it, and Madeley has pledged to honour the other side of the argument in this week's column.
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said staff that work 12-hour shifts had the right to request that their lunch breaks were not disturbed.
