A man dies after feeling unwell 50 meters from Mont-Godinne hospital: did help intervene too late? The hospital defends itself

Unfortunately, the man ultimately died in intensive care.

The hospital claims to have respected the procedures

In a press release released this Friday, the UCL Namur University Hospital ensures that the procedures have been “scrupulously respected” and refutes any malfunction. “According to the procedure in force since 2011, we must consider the exterior of the hospital as the public highway. This concerns urgent medical aid and therefore, an address by 112,” explains Benjamin Vallée, spokesperson for the UCL Namur University Hospital.

Furthermore, the hospital can guarantee that help was indeed provided to the victim within a “shorter” period than that mentioned by the witness. In fact, Centrale 112 mentions 11 minutes between the call and the arrival of the ambulance, and not 30 minutes.

An internal investigation was nevertheless opened within the Namur management of 112 in order to check whether everything was done according to the rules.

Limits of intervention outside the hospital

Even if it turns out at the end of the investigation that all procedures were respected, Bénédicte wonders “how it is possible that a man could lose his life like this 50 meters from the emergency room, in the parking lot of a hospital full of competent people?

Faced with this question, which may “seem legitimate” to citizens, the hospital wanted to provide clarification. “Our emergency teams are not allowed to leave their post and must be ready to intervene instantly for all patients in critical situations already present in the emergency department. Leaving the hospital by our teams could put endangering other patients,” explains Benjamin Vallée.

The hospital also refuses to bear any responsibility for not providing assistance to a person in danger, as was mentioned by a lawyer interviewed by RTBF.

“We understand that this situation could be of concern but we confirm that there was assistance to a person in danger. After being questioned by witnesses at the scene, our emergency doctor questioned 112 about the need to trigger the SMUR. On based on the information collected during the initial call, the Centrale considered, at that moment, that the seriousness of the situation did not justify the movement of a SMUR team”, justifies the spokesperson for the CHU, who regrets a report “biased” and “not very nuanced”.