Mother of Corby man Peter Hynd feels ‘genuinely heard’ as campaign for ambulance reform taken to Parliament
The mother of a Corby man who died of a heart attack three years ago has visited Parliament with her campaign to change the law surrounding ambulance callouts.
An inquest into the death of 31-year-old Peter Hynd showed ambulance services ‘inadequately informed the family of the severity of the situation’ when he died as a result of a heart attack three years ago.
Since then Peter’s mother, Leigh Mcgivern, has been fighting to secure mandatory regulation of ambulance workers who are called out to a medical emergency, a gap which planed a hand in her son’s death after he was not appropriately alerted to the seriousness of his condition.
Leigh visited the capital on Monday (July 13) alongside Corby and East Northamptonshire MP, Lee Barron, to escalate the campaign.
Leigh said: “My visit to Parliament went extremely well. Lee updated me on the steps he is taking to support my campaign, including working with the Health Practice Associates Council (HPAC) and writing to the Minister of Health and Social Care.
“He is also actively applying for a Westminster Hall debate on the regulation of ambulance technicians.
“He will also raise my concerns about the dangerous regulatory gap that contributed to my son Peter’s death in the House of Commons meaning Peter’s name will be written into the parliamentary record forever.
“If this campaign succeeds and changes to this regulation are made, every person who dials 999 will be safer. Future avoidable deaths could be prevented.
“That would be one good thing to come from Peter’s death, carried forward in his name. After almost three years of fighting for real accountability for my son, this moment has made me deeply emotional and profoundly proud. I want to thank Lee Barron for making me feel genuinely heard.”
Peter died on August 9, 2023 as a result of an acute myocardial infarction. The day before he died, Peter reported chest pains to East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), and an electrocardiogram (ECG) was carried out to measure the heart’s electrical activity and check for any problems.
Peter was told by EMAS he could travel to hospital of his own volition, by which point Peter instead opted to return home, in part becuase he didn’t want to be a ‘burden’.
Peter was found unresponsive the next day.
Now, Leigh’s petition to change the way ambulance services has reached 1394 signatures, campaigning for change as, unlike paramedics, ambulance technicians are not legally required to register with the Health Practice Associates Council (HPAC), though it is encouraged.
Corby and East Northamptonshire MP Lee Barron has thrown his support behind the campaign.
He said: “Part of Leigh’s visit was for us to talk through what we’re going to be doing in Parliament to assist with her campaign.
“We’ll be writing to ministers, raising it in debates, seeking meetings with ministers to press for the arguments for better accountability.
“I believe this will prompt a change in process and policy in the NHS, and the ones who can direct that will be ministers, so it’s important to get them involved.
“It’s crucial to make sure there is that level of accountability.”
Leigh’s petition can be found online here.