{"id":565,"date":"2026-05-15T02:54:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T02:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/?p=565"},"modified":"2026-05-15T02:54:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T02:54:38","slug":"woman-left-disabled-for-life-after-medics-pressed-wrong-button-on-defibrillator-during-cardiac-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/?p=565","title":{"rendered":"Woman left disabled for life after medics pressed wrong button on defibrillator during cardiac arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A TV producer left disabled for life when bungling paramedics \u2018pressed the wrong button\u2019 on a defibrillator during a\u00a0cardiac arrest<\/a>\u00a0has received an undisclosed payout after suing the NHS.<\/p>\n

Meg Fozzard has been left with permanent disabilities as a result of her brain being starved of oxygen after ambulance crews delayed a life\u2011saving electric shock by EIGHT crucial minutes because they failed to use a defibrillator properly.<\/p>\n

Meg \u2014 just 26 at the time \u2014 had collapsed at her home in Walworth, South London, struggling to breathe and fitting as she went into cardiac arrest in April 2019.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Meg Fozzard was left disabled for life when bungling paramedics \u2018pressed the wrong button\u2019 on a defibrillator during a cardiac arrest.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Meg \u2013 just 26 at the time \u2013 had collapsed at her home in Walworth, South London, struggling to breathe and fitting as she went into cardiac arrest in April 2019.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Her terrified partner, Xander Font Freide, dialed 999 and was told to start\u00a0CPR<\/a>\u00a0immediately.<\/p>\n

But when ambulance crews finally arrived \u2013 after struggling to find the flat \u2013 they didn\u2019t believe Meg was in cardiac arrest, despite warnings from the emergency call handler minutes earlier.<\/p>\n

A defibrillator showed Meg had a deadly heart rhythm that needed an instant shock.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Meg\u2019s terrified partner, Xander Font Freide, dialed 999 and was told to start CPR immediately.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But because paramedics had attached the wrong equipment \u2013 monitoring leads instead of defibrillation pads \u2013 the device failed to alert them that a shock was needed.<\/p>\n

Even then, crews pressed the wrong button on the machine, known as a LifePak, delaying its emergency mode for another four minutes.<\/p>\n

There was an eight-minute delay before Meg was given an electric shock to her heart, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust has since admitted.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
A defibrillator showed Meg had a deadly heart rhythm that needed an instant shock.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meg, who suffered a\u00a0brain injury<\/a>\u00a0after being starved of oxygen as a consequence of her cardiac arrest, now struggles with her speech, fatigue and requires the use of a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

She has now received an undisclosed settlement from the ambulance service which has admitted breaches in their duty of care.<\/p>\n

Meg, now 33, said, \u201cIt\u2019s almost impossible to find the words to describe the physical and emotional impact of trying to come to terms with what happened.<\/p>\n

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Start your day with all you need to know<\/h3>\n

Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.By clicking above you agree to the\u00a0Terms of Use<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAt first I had no idea but as the severity of my brain injury became more apparent the realization started to sink in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat moment of being in hospital and realizing my life was never going to be the same was tough, I really struggled with that.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore my injury, I\u2019d hop on a train or even fly across the world and visit friends but that all changed.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cThat moment of being in hospital and realizing my life was never going to be the same was tough, I really struggled with that,\u201d Meg said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cBefore my injury, I\u2019d hop on a train or even fly across the world and visit friends but that all changed,\u201d Meg continued.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019d gone from being independent to being reliant on others. I even struggled to tell people what I needed because of my speech.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meg\u2019s cardiac arrest happened as a result of an undiagnosed,\u00a0underlying heart condition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She does not remember waking up in the hospital and was unable to work for 14 months.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Meg\u2019s cardiac arrest happened as a result of an undiagnosed, underlying heart condition.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meg still additionally experiences symptoms including\u00a0brain fog<\/a>, lack of dexterity and involuntary spasms in her limbs.<\/p>\n

But as a result of payments secured by lawyers, she was able to get the support of a speech and language therapist, a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist.<\/p>\n

Against the odds, she can now stand for up to an hour, her speech and cognitive abilities have improved and she has returned to work part-time as a freelance producer with a focus on disability rights.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Meg can now stand for up to an hour, her speech and cognitive abilities have improved and she has returned to work part-time as a freelance producer with a focus on disability rights.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meg added, \u201cI do aerial sports now, I\u2019m learning to swim again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing because I thought these were things I\u2019d never be able to do again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019ve a long way to go but I finally feel like I\u2019m getting back to being the person I was before.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cI know I\u2019ve a long way to go but I finally feel like I\u2019m getting back to being the person I was before,\u201d Meg said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHowever, I\u2019ll always be upset at the care I received when I was in desperate need so it\u2019s vital action is taking to improve patient safety for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recalling the moment he found Meg struggling to breathe back in 2019, Xander, aged 32, a coordinator for a charity, said, \u201cI was sat at my computer and I heard Megan making a strange gasping, croaky noise, then her complexion started changing rapidly.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe became extremely pale. Meg\u2019s eyes were open but she wasn\u2019t responding to me talking to her.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cHowever, I\u2019ll always be upset at the care I received when I was in desperate need so it\u2019s vital action is taking to improve patient safety for others,\u201d Meg said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI knew something was terribly wrong with Meg, potentially life-threateningly wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on the phone to a 999 call operator who was talking me through performing CPR until the ambulance crews arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they arrived I was just hoping they\u2019d help Meg but everything seemed confused and chaotic.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cI knew something was terribly wrong with Meg, potentially life-threateningly wrong,\u201d Meg\u2019s partner, Xander Font Freide, said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhen Meg got to hospital she was under very heavy sedation and I was told that they were keeping Meg cool and keeping an eye on brain swelling from the trauma.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an incredibly difficult time for everyone and we were desperately hoping Meg would pull through.<\/p>\n

\u201cI continue to be amazed by Meg and the bravery and determination she has shown to start reclaiming her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cI continue to be amazed by Meg and the bravery and determination she has shown to start reclaiming her life,\u201d Xander said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Leena Savjani, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Meg, said, \u201cThe last few years and coming to terms with the life-changing repercussions of Meg\u2019s cardiac arrest have been incredibly difficult for her and her loved ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing investigations, incredibly worrying and basic failings have been admitted in Meg\u2019s care.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Meg has made tremendous progress in her recovery through access to rehab, she still faces many challenges.<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cWhile Meg has made tremendous progress in her recovery through access to rehab, she still faces many challenges,\u201d Leena Savjani, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Meg, said.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNothing can make up for what she\u2019s been through but this settlement allows Meg to focus on her future and importantly means she will have access to specialist lifetime support she requires to make the best recovery possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, it\u2019s vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety for others.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery second counts when trying to resuscitate someone suffering a cardiac arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Meg14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cEvery second counts when trying to resuscitate someone suffering a cardiac arrest,\u201d Savjani continued.Irwin Mitchell \/ SWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

London Ambulance Service say LifePaks are specialist machines used by medical professionals, which monitor vital signs as well as providing defibrillator capabilities.<\/p>\n

They are different from automated-external defibrillators or public-access defibrillators which require no training.<\/p>\n

The service\u2019s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Fenella Wrigley said, \u201cOn behalf of London Ambulance Service, I sincerely apologize that the care provided to Ms. Fozzard that day in 2019 did not meet the standard we expect.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn the weeks following this 999 call, we conducted a thorough review to learn the lessons that led to Ms. Fozzard\u2019s defibrillation being delayed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe learnings from the review were all implemented at the time and our ways of working have been changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A TV producer left disabled for life when bungling paramedics \u2018pressed the wrong button\u2019 on a defibrillator during a\u00a0cardiac arrest\u00a0has received an undisclosed payout after suing the NHS. Meg Fozzard…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=565"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":566,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565\/revisions\/566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}