Teen's meningococcal death prompts ambulance changes

There are to be major changes in the way New South Wales ambulance officers handle suspected meningococcal cases, after an inquiry found the current protocols failed an 18-year-old Sydney girl, who died from the disease.

The Health Department's report into Jenah Nassif's death was released yesterday.

It found ambulance officers failed to explain the risk of not going to hospital.

It also found they did not take adequate notes about the case when the teenager declined to be taken to hospital.

However, the report stops short of finding Ms Nassif's death could have been prevented.

The chief executive of the ambulance service, Greg Rochford, says the inquiries recommendations will be adopted.

"We'll move quickly to implement a stricter regime of making medical records more accountable for ambulance officers so that it more closely reflects the sought of rigours that are required around medical records in hospitals," he said.