Ambulance trust warned about 'unsafe driver' before fatal crash that killed new paramedic but 'took no action'

An NHS ambulance trust was warned about the "unsafe driving" of a 'show off' driver before he crashed, killing a 21-year-old new paramedic, but nothing was done, a coroner has said.

Alice Clark had been working in her dream job as a paramedic for just two months after Edward Riding crashed the ambulance they were in into the back of a cement mixer.

She became trapped in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering multiple injuries.

In January Riding, 46, also known as Zeke, pleaded guilty to causing her death by careless driving and avoided jail after he was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Now, Roger Hatch, Senior Coroner for North West Kent, has blasted the South East Coast Ambulance Service for not taking action before the crash after complaints had already been made.

After the inquest concluded Mr Hatch recorded a narrative verdict that 'the death of Alice Olivia Clark was due to a road traffic accident but that there was a failure by the South East Coast Ambulance Service in their investigation of complaints they had received from other members of their staff over the driving of (Riding) where if it had been acted upon could have changed the outcome.'

In a prevention of further deaths report just published and sent to the trust urging for action, he wrote: "Complaints had been received by other paramedic passengers as to the unsafe driving standards of and these were not dealt with appropriately. I am concerned that this could occur in the future and put lives at risk."

He also wrote of her concern that the trust does not have a formal complaints procedure in place, which may have led to nothing happening.

She added: "I am concerned by the evidence that a paramedic raises a complaint with their supervisor and there are no written notes/statements taken and the paramedic is not updated regarding the investigation/outcome. I am concerned that without a set complaint procedure in place with statement taking, interviews and time limits lives could be at risk."

She also said that driving standards within the trust are only assessed by "drive outs" with managers and questioned if independent assessors should be involved with a set time such as every 6 months or CCTV of drivers reviewed regularly.

At Riding's prosecution, Maidstone Crown Court heard how the Australian national of Kemps Farm Road, Crowborough, was responding to an emergency in the New Ash Green area, on the A21, on January 5 2022.

At about 8:16pm he took a wrong turn into the slip road to a layby rather than the next exit, hitting a kerb, causing the ambulance to veer across the road into the back of the mixer.

Ms Clark was one of three paramedics in the ambulance that had no patient at the time.

Riding and Ms Clark, who were in the front, were trapped in the ambulance, while the other paramedic, Megan Kuhn, who was in the back, was able to exit but suffered head injuries.

Ms Clark was extracted from the vehicle but pronounced dead at 9:42pm, while Riding was flown to Kings College Hospital with life threatening injuries, from which he later recovered.

Riding had no endorsements or previous driving convictions, but the court heard he was considered a 'show off driver' by some colleagues.

Ms Clark's parents said after her death: "Alice was so excited to qualify as a paramedic and looked forward to every shift. She was a beautiful, kind, fun-loving daughter, sister and granddaughter. She loved to travel and anyone who met her loved her. She will be missed more than words can say by family and friends."

The ambulance trust has created the Alice Clark Award in honour of her.

It will be presented each year to a newly qualified paramedic who has "demonstrated significant effort in transitioning to an experienced practitioner."

After Riding's conviction, the trust said in a statement: "Our thoughts are with Alice’s family and everyone affected by this tragic incident.

"We welcome the conclusion of the court case but understand that it is a very difficult time for all those affected. We will ensure support is available to any colleagues who require it."

It has been approached for comment about the coroner's report.

An NHS England spokesperson said: "The NHS in England does recommend NHS organisations follow our Freedom to Speak Up policy, which sets guidance on how complaints are dealt with."