Paramedic who told woman who was having a miscarriage that the colour of her blood was ‘festive’ is struck off
- Lucy Bambridge has been struck off for her comments on November 28, 2017
- She told a woman, who was having a miscarriage, ‘I don’t know what to do’
- Bambridge and a colleague asked if there was Tupperware box to put the baby in
- She resigned in 2017 and claims to have done the ‘best’ with limited training
A paramedic has been struck off after telling a woman who was having a miscarriage that the colour of her blood was ‘festive’ and if there was a Tupperwear box to put her baby in.
Lucy Bambridge made a string of inappropriate comments when she and a colleague were called to the woman’s home on November 28, 2017, it was heard at a Health and Care Professionals Service Tribunal.
The patient was staying at the Rosy Maternity Unit of Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and was sent home to return 48 hours later to deliver.
A woman was staying at the Rosy Maternity Unit of Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge (pictured, file image) and was sent home 48 hours later to deliver her baby, but ended up ringing 999 after suffering contractions and bleeding on November 28, 2017
But the woman rang 999 when she began to suffer to contractions and bleeding, and delivered the dead baby while Bambridge, who worked for East of England Ambulance Service, and a colleague were in her home.
Bambridge told her ‘I don’t know what to do’ at one point and there was a ‘bit of confusion’ with the patient’s clothes which she was helped out of.
The woman said: ‘I can’t begin to tell you how terrifying it is to hear that in a situation like this.
‘During my distress at this I was horrifically asked if we had anything to put our baby in? ‘A Tupperware box or something in your kitchen?’ We were speechless.’
The pair of women then ‘giggled nervously’ and one of them knelt forward to tell her ‘at least its not poo! We are bored of poo! And anyway, red is festive’.
Bambridge’s colleague, an emergency medical technician, said: ‘It appeared to me that this comment was made in relation to the festivities of Christmas as it was November.’
The patient also complained about her treatment when the umbilical cord was cut.
Lucy Bambridge worked for East of England Ambulance Service when she was called to a patient’s home who was having a miscarriage. Upon arrival with a colleague, she said ‘I don’t know what to do’ and followed this with a series of inappropriate remarks about finding a Tupperwear Box to store the baby
She said the women held scissors and ‘waved in celebration with a big grin’ towards her husband as though he could do it for them – and told them ‘you must be joking’.
‘They went to cut the cord. The girl holding the scissors said to me, ‘Let’s get this cut. You don’t want all of this hanging out of you do you?’ Another unforgivable remark.’
Ms Bambridge, who resigned in December 2017 and now lives in Australia, said in a statement to the panel: ‘I feel deeply saddened that the patient feels this way regarding this incident, at the time I did the best I could with the limited training I had received from the trust.
‘I had no intention of ever making anyone feel uncomfortable or unduly distressed. I have always maintained a high standard of professionalism required of me.’
The panel decided she should be struck off the register.