Last updated 22:22, Sunday, 28 September 2008

A PARAMEDIC has been accused of breaking rules on critical care while treating an injured cyclist, who died the following day.

Claire Lomas is alleged to have performed an “unauthorised early crew change” after responding to an accident in Keswick.

She is expected to answer the allegations during a Health Professions Council (HPC) disciplinary hearing in London next week.

HPC documents state that Miss Lomas and a trainee technician were called to an accident involving a 60-year-old man who had fallen off a bike, at about 6.40pm.

It is alleged that she, with members of the public, transferred the patient to a vacuum mattress, which was against spinal immobilisation procedures.

Miss Lomas is also accused of failing to accurately assess the seriousness of the patient’s condition.

She is said to have compromised patient care by allowing a trainee technician to attend to the patient while she drove the ambulance, failing to adequately supervise the trainee technician and failing to ensure accurate and complete clinical notes were recorded.

It was claimed that on the way to hospital Miss Lomas pulled into Keswick Ambulance Station to “effect” an early crew change when it had not been authorised.

Miss Lomas worked for the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust until she was dismissed in November 2006.