Not a priority

[kabalarian]

London woman, 36, dies of suspected Covid-19 after being told she is 'not priority'

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/london-woman-36-dies-of-suspected-covid-19-after-being-told-she-is-not-priority

Very sad, thoughts with her husband and children.

[kabalarian]

I think it's important this article is read to make people aware.

[tryingtoprep]

That is absolutely awful. That poor woman and her poor husband and children. London's hospitals and healthcare services are clearly completely overwhelmed and utterly unable to cope. A city of nearly 9 million with a lot of high density living was always going to be more vulnerable than more sparsely populated areas. The government should've put us into lockdown weeks ago. Poor family. So sad.

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

This is the thing that scares me the most, the fact that someone decides if you are or are not a priority to be saved... :(

[fallfallfall]

mona I agree and this person is not a qualified doctor. I hope the paramedic who suggested she need not go to the hospital be suspended!

[babydogandi]

Someone from our area died aged 21 had no underlying medical conditions. 😢

[Tiredoutteacher2020]

fallfallfall - that's hardly going to help matters is it?
She probably wasn't a priority at the time given that so many are ill. Everyday the NHS are going to have to make choices like this during a pandemic. Sometimes they'll make the right choice and sometimes they won't. Those choices wouldn't be so tough under a properly funded services as there would be more staff and more places to take patients too.

The paramedic made a choice. His choice might have saved a different life. Who knows.

[Ylvamoon]

The paramedic made a choice. His choice might have saved a different life. Who knows.

I agree, Doctors will have to make all kinds of decisions during this pandemic.
There is no right or wrong. Just shit/ pot luck!
This case should not highlight how the NHS prioritize people, but that everyone is at risk and should be following the advice given by the government!

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

Its a story that the its all scaremongering and only those with underlying conditions brigade ought to hear.

They won't though. Maybe if theres hundreds and thousands of them....

[MoonlightMistletoe]

This has made me tearful , devastating for her husband and children.

[Moomin8]

Anyone with dependents should be a priority. I suspect that they thought she would get better without hospital treatment because she's only 36. I also suspect that because the virus is new Hcps are still getting to grips with the warning signs of people who need urgent care.

[Marieo]

That's terrifying that already they are being faced with these decisions, and we are no way near peaking yet. How sad that a 36 year old was deemed not worthy of attempting to save. It is likely that they thought she would be okay at home, but that evidently isn't always going to be the case.

[TheMemoryLingers]

Terrifying.

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

I suspect the reason she wasnt a priority was because she was young with no underlying conditions.

Havent we been telling everyone for the majority its only a mild illness?

[ffswhatnext]

Unfortunately, news such as this will become common.
It's not the paramedics, doctors, etc fault.

It's the system. These vital services were already on their knees before cut-backs. They were on their knees before CV.

They are more overworked than ever. They are having to make quick decisions about something that there's more to learn about. It doesn't help that people are presenting with different symptoms.

It's not the paramedics' fault.

[Moomin8]

They are having to make quick decisions about something that there's more to learn about

I agree

[snowyforest]

@moomin8 I agree they should have taken her in but perhaps they thought she would recover at home ok? I don't think that people without dependents should be seen as less worthy of help than others with dependents. I don't think they should prioritise in that way, it should be kept to clinical criteria only.

[JeanMichelBisquiat]

Hang on a mo - on a read of this, they said she wasn't a priority the previous day, when they assessed her. They probably didn't make a decision that she wasn't worth saving - they probably made a decision that she wasn't a priority for hospitalisation on the previous day, based on the symptoms she had on the previous day, which are probably the same as many people are experiencing with Covid 19.

They didn't just turn up and say they'd leave her to die. She just very sadly rapidly deteriorated - I'm sure that's utterly devastating for her family, but possibly not foreseeable based on the symptoms the previous day. Talking about the paramedic's "choice" in this way, as if she was choosing whether to help the woman live or not, is just misleading and unfair.

[BigChocFrenzy]

"Anyone with dependents should be a priority."

No, the medical staff prioritise first on who needs medical attention and then - if there are insufficint resources - on who would gain the most benefit from it

i.e. crudely, who could best survive the treatement and has the best life expectancy

They don't consider whether someone has kids / is sole breadwinner etc

[Moomin8]

I don't think that people without dependents should be seen as less worthy of help than others with dependents. I don't think they should prioritise in that way, it should be kept to clinical criteria only.

Of course people with dependents should be prioritised. Otherwise their children could end up being looked after by SS.

[Moomin8]

Yes but @BigChocFrenzy this woman was only 36

[BigChocFrenzy]

Blaming the paramedic is unfair

Unfortunately, this virus can change vary quickly from someone feeling very ill but managing at home with help,
to someone needing immediate hospital treatment

They can't admit everyone who is ill with CV on the offchance

[TheArchSorcererofContwaraburg]

But people still must go out to walk their dogs several times a day for miles, need their housekeeper, can't cope without the nanny, etc etc

[snowyforest]

@Moomin8, well thats not the way it works, thank god!

[ffswhatnext]

The paramedics would have also made it clear if she deteriorates, or any changes, call .. and a list of options given.
What things to keep an eye on based on how she would have been when they saw her.
I'm not blaming the family for not following advice either.

There will be many tragedies during this, both direct and indirectly related to CV. It's what people have been trying to say to the people screaming "it's just the flu".