'There was a Grand Canyon of gaps between what they did and should have done - almost everything they did was a disaster'

HEARTBROKEN DAD SPEAKS OUT AFTER FAILURES OF AMBULANCE WORKERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEATH OF 15-YEAR-OLD ZARA FROM MENINGITIS

- By JOEL MOORE

THE dad of a 15-year-old Nottingham girl who died due to neglect by ambulance workers believes there is an “ongoing risk” of the same happening to other children.

Zara Cheesman, from Mapperley Park, died of bacterial meningitis on December 23 last year, four days after she fell ill.

Last month, an inquest found her death was contributed to by neglect by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) technicians, who failed to provide “basic care” when they decided not to take her to hospital the day before.

Delivering the damning findings, a coroner said there were “gross failures” to provide lifesaving treatment to the Nottingham High School pupil, whose death could have been avoided.

This included a failure to carry out an adequate assessment and listen to her parents, Mark Cheesman and Judith Ramage.

“It feels like a nightmare. Almost everything they did was a disaster,” said Dr Cheesman.

He spoke to the Post two weeks on from hearing the gut-wrenching findings, but the extent of the failings only confirmed what they already knew.

“We knew from the word go that something had gone so horribly wrong,” said the 59-year-old psychologist.

“There was a Grand Canyon of gaps between what they did and should've done. Almost everything they did was a disaster.