Neglecting Pupil

[GypsyGSD]

A teenage pupil has accident whilst playing football in school and felt her knee go pop, her p.e. teacher helps a little and sends for a wheel chair, the head of the p.e department walks past so teacher asks for his help, he bends pupils leg causing massive pain, but tells pupil its fine walk it off, he then walks away, thee pupil was left to walk over 400 metres to see school first aider.with the help of her school friends, that person phoned pupils mother three times in 30 mins.as she was in so much pain, ,pupil taken to hospital by mother where MRI. Scan shows dislocation in knee cap, torn tendons, severere bruising to bones and a build up of fluid in knee, the pupil is a under 17 top athlete and is involved in many things in her area, she now has months of physiotherapy in front of her she will miss a season of competing, and even though her school has offered to help by given her home work she has exams in few weeks but it unable to get to certain lesson do you think the mother should complain to somebody higher than the head of the school

[GypsyGSD]

Very interesting reading thank you ,its as we feared a ambulance should have been called and her knee secured ,not walking on it as told ,being helped by her school friends

[woofgang]

40 years ago I fell playing netball at school and hurt my wrist. After being checked out I was assisted to a seat and an ambulance was called immediately. Wrist turned out to be broken. Sensible care of injured children is not a new thing and I am really glad that none of my teachers were Islay!

[cassa333]

I don't know if you have a case or not but would just add that it is very easy to jump in with 'he was negligent' or 'he should have known it was serious'.

There are a lot of mishaps on the sports fields across the length and breadth of the land and the vast majority are not serious and a slow walk off is all that is needed. If every sports injury were treated with a wheelchair and ambulance there would be a hue and cry about wasted time, effort and resources.

Is the real issue here not that the injury was misdiagnosed rather that it is a very active sports enthusiast?

If there is absolutely no way of getting to particular lessons then appropriate help should be available and if she feels doing the work on her own at home is not possible then ask for her to be able to work in an appropriate room at school so that she at least is in the right environment.

If exams are so close then don't make the complaint the most important aspect of this. At the moment her revision for exams is and the rest is just filler and 'outrage'.

[GypsyGSD]

I think your missing the point cassa, this is about a pupil in a school environment, being left on the floor with a dislocated knee cap, the head of a p.e. department bent the knee ,told the pupil it was fine and walked away, even though a less senior teacher was concerned she also walked away,it took two friends to get her to the first aider,who phoned the mother three times in the spate of half hour in a panic, the head of p.e. department is a head coach and should have taken the injury more serious, he has a duty of care to any pupil injured in his care, in regards to school work to prepare for exam yes the school has provided a room for her to study but she is still missing out on quality lessons , these exams are important for her future career, and will miss a lot of time from school now while further treatment is needed to correct damage done.,not only that he knew she has a very good athletes career and would not complain if she felt nothing was wrong seven years of dedicated training has taught her this is not about sueing a school, it is about him walking away from the incident, this girl now loses out of a year of competition, she cannot advance as a cadet in her chosen force,she now faces a operation to correct damage and months of physio,

[bednobs]

but it's not as if the pe teacher dislocated the kneecap! It's incerdibly unfortunate of course, but that is just the problem with playing sport suppose.
The head of PE and teacher should have acted differently, but didn't.

[gness]

I don't care how many children cry wolf.......a teacher knows his/her pupils... and a teacher never dismisses any injury in this way.....this was so wrong.

I wish her well, Gypsy.....x

[GypsyGSD]

We accept this could have happened any where and do not query this, but we cannot except a proffessinal person can walk away and leave a child on the floor in a school environment

[gness]

Bednobs.....you don't know what damage he did by bending the leg and telling her it's fine and to walk it off.
A person responsible for young people taking part in a sporting activity just doesn't behave in the way Gypsy has told us and needs retraining at the very least.

[GypsyGSD]

Thank you bednobs for understanding the problem, the mother really does not want to sue anyone ,she just wants to know if she should ask the question why her daughter was left, and why he choose to bend the knee ,dislocation is easy to see and why she was told its fine get up and walk

[GypsyGSD]

Can I correct that thank you gness I do apologise

[gness]

That's fine, Gypsy...don't worry.....

But the mum must ask questions of course......we don't all want to sue, as some assume, when something like this happens but it needs looking into....x

[GypsyGSD]

I've just been informed the mum has a meeting Tuesday with the school head teacher,the friends that helped have been spoken to, also,there account has been recorded ,along with the injured pupil account of the incident ,so I must assume both teachers involved have also been spoken to ,the mother also has the full report from the MRI. Scan and reports from the consultant of the injury's involved time will tell now what happens

[gness]

Well they are not dismissing it then, Gypsy........let us know the outcome if you can and best wishes to the lass.....my son was an athlete and I know how it is for them when something bad happens......Gx

[EDDIE51]

bednobs, The head of PE did not cause the injury but his bending the knee made it much worse! he then causing even more damage by making her walk on it. His action was against all first aid advice
GypsyGSD Their is a very strong case for suing the school, they were grossly negligent. Getting the very best medical treatment may well involve using a specialist sports injury clinic, that will be expensive. Compensation will be needed to pay for it!
Get the Mum to phone a solicitor for an opinion , I bet a £ to a penny they will say there is a very strong case.

[GypsyGSD]

Thankyou as soon as I have any updates I will let you know ,the support and comments have been very helpful xx

[GypsyGSD]

Good point eddie51 I will mention it them,I know a few days ago they were not thinking about taking anything further ,but as you say quality treatment costs money and that's no disrepect to our NHS servicex

[EDDIE51]

I also thought it was compulsory for PE teachers to have first aid training, as so many injuries occur on the sports field. This teacher obviously had no such training as what he did could not have been more wrong. My son is an ex army medic and now works firstaider for a large company, he confirms the correct action was as Ratter says, make the patient comfortable but DO NOT move them and call an ambulance or para medic.

[gness]

Eddie makes good points there, Gypsy....if legal advice is needed remember house insurance may cover it.....x

[GypsyGSD]

The pupil knew her knee was not right and told teacher she felt it pop, but when I asked her why she tried to walk she said she trusted that the head of p,e knew what to do and did as she was told regardless of pain,I can only presume as she is guided by her training coach who advice is law in her chosen sport she thought is was the right thing to do x

[EDDIE51]

Luckily there is a lot of expertise out there for knee injury's, as footballers are very prone to them. But as cash is no object for a player worth £millions the best is VERY expensive !