Paramedic who watched as man collapsed and died in front of him because he thought he was ‘drunk’ ALLOWED to keep his job
Matt Geary, 37, wrongly assumed heart disease patient Carl Cope was drunk as he lay dying outside a hospital
A “CALLOUS and uncaring” paramedic who stood with his hands in his pockets as a man died in front of him has been told he can keep his job.
Matt Geary, 37, wrongly assumed heart disease patient Carl Cope, 47, was drunk as he lay dying outside a hospital.
Geary, had earlier brought Mr Cope to Walsall Manor Hospital after he suffered chest pains.
Mr Cope left the waiting room to buy a drink – but collapsed yards from the hospital door watched by Geary as he sat in his ambulance close by.
CCTV showed he waited 30 seconds before getting out to investigate, and then he failed to give him proper medical attention.
Eventually nurses came out to assist but Mr Cope died from the effects of his long-term heart condition in June 2012.
Today, the paramedic was told he can remain in the profession as he was handed a two-year conditions of practice order at the Health Care Professions Council in London.
Panel chair Professor Ian Hughes outlined the conditions in place including the creation of a personal development plan and reflective report by Geary.
Last year, Hughes said last year Geary should have done more to help.
But today, the professor said: “The person who appears before the panel is a changed man.
“The registrant has fully accepted he had not taken the appropriate level of assessment and should not have left the patient on his own.
“The panel has accepted the registrant’s remorse and regret of what happened.”
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A case presenter Laura Ryan said: "There was very little insight demonstrated by the registrant at the original hearing. It may be that you find the reflections made by the registrant do not quite hit the mark for somebody who has received a conviction for something quite so serious."
But Simon Hoyle, defending Geary, said: "There has to come a point where you have to stop reminding people about what they have done and start encouraging them in what they do.
"In a 12-year career he made one mistake and has been paying for it ever since."
Geary previously admitted he should have taken further action.
He said: “My behaviour wasn’t up to standard and I should have raised my concerns about the patient earlier on when he was put into the waiting room.
“My mindset was wrong and my decision-making was wrong.”
Two years ago, Geary was given an eight-month suspended sentence after being convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court of failing to undertake his duty.
Judge John Warner blasted his actions as “callous and uncaring” and said he had decided “not to waste his time” on the patient after wrongly assuming he was drunk.
He said: “You did nothing at all to help as a paramedic, or as a human being.”
Geary resigned from West Midlands Ambulance Service following a disciplinary hearing but has continued to practise.
He currently works as a paramedic at school sports events and says this has reignited his passion for the job.
Describing the journey since the court case, Geary said: “I am much stronger now and have become a much more well-rounded person.
“I feel I can now understand how my brain was working that day and I am now aware of how I can change my behaviour.
“I am a lot better now at identifying issues and resolving them compared with how I was previously.
“Over the last four or five years my attitude and way of looking at life has completely changed.”
The two-year conditions of practice order will take effect in 28 days.
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