Death of teen following d'n'b event raises concerns over private ambulance drug response training

Concerns have been raised over the capabilities of private ambulance staff to deal with drug-related emergencies following the death of a 17-year-old girl who fell ill at a drum 'n' bass event last year. 

Emily Stokes died in hospital on June 29, 2024, after attending a day festival by promoters Worried About Henry, which took place at Kent-based amusement park, Dreamland Margate. According to a previous inquest, Stokes died from MDMA toxicity.

According to the  BBC, a coroners report into Stokes' death has highlighted issues around the training of Kent Central Ambulance Service (KCAS) and its vehicle equipment. 

Catherine Wood, assistant coroner for north-east Kent, claimed that staff had “little experience or training in relation to management of patients having taken drugs."

Wood called on KCAS to do more to prevent future deaths, urging the ambulance service to employ more training of its staff, which it claimed is currently “minimal”.

She added: “More training should have been provided to assist the staff in how to safely manage those under the influence of illicit substances.”

According to the coroner’s report, Emily Stokes attended the day festival with friends, who said that she had possibly taken MDMA before entering the event, and again once inside.

Stokes was taken to the medical tent at around 3:20PM, per the report, and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance around an hour later, where she suffered a cardiac arrest and died shortly after 6:PM.

The coroner’s report also shared concerns over a “lack of recognition of the seriousness of her symptoms”, as well as the fact that the hospital was not alerted before she arrived.

In response to the report, KCAS said it is taking the coroner’s findings seriously, with a spokesperson noting: “As a healthcare provider, we are committed to continuous learning, service improvement, and ensuring the highest standards of patient safety, comfort, and care.”

In June, a man in his 20s also died after attending a drum 'n' bass event at Dreamland Margate. The man was said to have suffered a "medical incident", and passed away on June 28 after being taken to a nearby hospital. Dreamland stopped the event early, citing hot weather.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter