UK : Solihull patient died of swine flu after being taken to walk-in centre instead of A&E

Via Birmingham Post :

" Add a commentRecommend A patient died from swine flu after being taken into a walk-in centre instead of A&E in a cost-cutting move by NHS chiefs, it has emerged.

Solihull NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) urged paramedics to take more patients to walk-in centres instead of A&E in a bid to save the NHS £75,000.

But within three months of it starting, a young adult with flu-like symptoms was taken to the walk-in centre and ended up dying from swine flu, an end of year project report to the PCT revealed.

Clare Rippin, PCT project manager, reported: “Activity figures started to decrease from January due to two West Midlands Ambulance Service diverts to walk-in centres in Birmingham ending up with adverse events through no fault of the ambulance crews.

“One case was a young adult presenting with flu like symptoms, which ended up being a case of swine flu which was fatal.

“This resulted in crews being very cautious about using the alternative pathway.”

No-one was immediately available from Solihull NHS Primary Care Trust to comment."