Ambulance worker in tears as he admits he 'didn't listen enough' to dying girl's parents

15-YEAR-OLD ZARA WAS SUFFERING FROM MENINGITIS

- By JOEL MOORE

AN ambulance worker sobbed as he admitted at an inquest that he should have listened more to the parents of an "incredibly kind, empathetic and intelligent" Nottingham girl who died from bacterial meningitis.

The parents of 15-year-old Zara Cheesman, who died on December 23 last year, claim their concerns were "ignored or misunderstood" by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) technicians when they failed to transport the teen to hospital.

It was one of two potential missed opportunities to treat Zara sooner, who had become increasingly sick in the days prior, Nottingham Coroner’s Court heard. These also included a trip to A&E at the Queen's Medical Centre, when she was sent home with a suspected vomiting bug.

The Nottingham High School pupil's parents, Judith and Mark, from Mapperley Park, told the inquest on Wednesday, September 10, that her life was "extinguished by individual and organisational incompetence".

On Thursday, one of the EMAS technicians who was called out to Zara on December 22 - the day before her death - broke down in tears as he gave evidence. “It’s absolutely devastated me. I’m so, so sorry,” Michael Hoy told Zara’s parents before crying into a tissue.