NHS holding full independent review into North East Ambulance Service cover-up claims

The NHS will hold a full independent review into North East Ambulance Service cover-up claims, Sajid Javid has announced.

The Health Secretary previously said he would consider an inquiry into North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) after a whistle-blower claimed the service covered up details about patient deaths after mistakes by paramedics. On Tuesday Mr Javid confirmed that a full inquiry would be held.

In a statement he said: "I am deeply concerned over the tragic failings of the North East Ambulance Service. Patients deserve better. I've asked NHS England to commission a full independent review into the failings to establish exactly what happened and ensure these events do not happen again."

Read more: Families back petition for public inquiry into North East Ambulance Service failings amid 'cover-ups' claim

Concerns about NEAS were first raised in the Sunday Times, with allegations the service withheld details from coroners in more than 90 cases between 2018 and 2019. County Durham 17-year-old Quinn Evie Milburn-Beadle was just one of those cases.

Quinn Evie died in Shildon in 2018 and it was found that the first paramedic to respond did not attempt "full advanced life support" before declaring her death. At the time paramedics raised concerns about this and though an internal investigation at NEAS found this to have been this case, the coroner presiding over Quinn's inquest was not at the time informed that an investigation had been undertaken.

Her family have backed a petition calling for a public inquiry into the service, which has received over 1,000 signatures in recent weeks. The ambulance service said it would "welcome independent scrutiny".

Chief executive of North East Ambulance Service, Helen Ray said, "Following recent concerns raised in the media and through some of our local MPs, we have been working closely with our regulators to ensure that there is full and transparent sharing of any learning from our internal investigations.

"We welcome this independent scrutiny which will make sure that the families we serve and our staff have the levels of assurance they need. As ever our main thoughts remain with the families affected."

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