The family of a 13-year-old girl who died after being swept out to sea say the ambulance service's response to a coroner's warning offers "little solace". Edie Grace Smart, from Whitley Bay, died four days after being pulled from the water on July 24 last year.
Following an inquest that concluded on June 5, Newcastle and North Tyneside senior coroner Georgina Nolan ruled Edie's death was accidental but issued a "prevention of future deaths" report addressed to North East Ambulance Service (NEAS). The coroner raised concerns that the first ambulance crew on the scene were not trained to use an advanced airway device called an i-Gel, as they were a "double-ASP" crew - neither member being a trained paramedic.
Ambulance service reviews policy
In response, NEAS reviewed its policies and confirmed its position is unchanged. Chief executive Kevin Scollay wrote to the coroner: "It remains NEAS' position that ASPs should only insert an i-gel under the supervision or direction of a registered healthcare professional, which is based on patient safety, defined scopes of practice, and clinical governance."
Mr Scollay also challenged the characterisation that a double-ASP crew was "often" first on the scene of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, citing figures showing that in the six months to May 2025, the first crew to respond to Category 1 calls were not paramedics in approximately 1.3% of cases. He noted that policy allows this if the double-ASP crew is "backed up" by a crew featuring a paramedic.
Family's solicitor responds
Gareth Naylor, solicitor for Edie's family at Ison Harrison, said: "Whilst it is reassuring to hear that ASPs are only rarely double-crewed, that unfortunately offers little solace in relation to what occurred with Edie. The simple fact remains that a double-crewed ASP attended on the day in question. In many respects, the stars seem to have aligned in the worst possible way, ultimately sealing Edie's fate on that day."
Mr Naylor also highlighted concerns about confusion over whether ASP crews were permitted to use battery-powered suction devices, adding: "That issue, in my view, warrants careful scrutiny as part of any review of the circumstances, as clarity around both equipment provision and operational guidance is essential if similar situations are to be avoided in the future."
Coroner's findings and family tribute
The coroner formally found there had been missed opportunities to save Edie, noting that if lifeguards had been contacted sooner, they could potentially have brought her to safety before she lost consciousness. Ms Nolan also found that signage at the location was "not sufficient to deter members of the public from a dangerous location". A new warning sign has since been erected.
Edie's father, Paul Smart, read a statement saying: "As we continue to come to terms with our loss we will now look to celebrate and cherish our memory of Edie and the immeasurable joy she brought to our lives."
