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Sister's plea for ICE policy

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Mervyn John McCormick from Ballymoney whose inquest was held in Coleraine Court House last wee

THE sister of the late Mervyn McCormick has spoken to the Chronicle about the need for a police policy on using the 'In Case of Emergency' (ICE) number stored on mobile phones. Following last week's inquest into her brother's death in July last year, Karen Acheson, 49, from Ballymoney, said: "The emergency services initiated this huge campaign about storing an ICE number on mobile phones to make it easier for next of kin to be contacted in these types of situations - but they don't use it.
“I made sure I was ICE on Mervyn's phone. It grieves me that no-one had the sense to know to use it."
The inquest into Mervyn's death heard how he was discovered by a friend unconscious at his home having been dropped off eight hours earlier by police officers who noticed he had sustained grazing and a cut above his eye - but had no reason to suspect it was serious.
After admission to Causeway Hospital, Mervyn passed away the next day on July 2 as a result of his head injuries. He was 41-years-old.
During the inquest, Coroner Dr John Leckey said: "That is often the way with head injuries. Sometimes their seriousness is not possible to ascertain even in a hospital environment."
Speaking after, Karen - a qualified nurse for 30 years - said she wished she had been contacted on the night her brother was brought in as she would have sought medical attention for Mervyn.
“Those eight hours could maybe have saved Mervyn. I just wish they had rung me that night - I would have known to take him to A&E. But it doesn't bring Mervyn back."
Speaking about her brother, who was a popular and much-loved figure around Ballymoney - even using his spare time to help out at Molly's restaurant on Main Street during busy times - Karen described him as a "very kind and gentle man."

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