Paramedic suggests crying patient was 'lying' about injury
The 57-year-old patient was crying for help after she broke her hip, but the paramedic allegedly left her
Melanie Adams
The Daily Echo
A Hampshire paramedic faces being struck off after suggesting that a crying patient who had broken her hip had lied about it, a hearing heard yesterday.
Lisa Hubbard is accused of leaving a 57-year-old patient crying out in pain as she fell to the floor when being led from her flat and for treating the woman as if she was wasting their time.
This is the third time that Hubbard has been hauled in front of the Health Professions Council for misconduct while working as a paramedic for South Central Ambulance Service.
She has already had two cautions, the first in 2008 for accusing a colleague of giving a potentially fatal drug to an elderly woman and then in 2010 for refusing to treat a seizure patient.
Now Hubbard faces a total of ten charges relating to a semi-regular patient with mental health issues, who called out an ambulance in April last year, at around 4am, complaining of pain and wanting to go to hospital. She is said to have barked at the patient: "What are you doing calling an ambulance at four in the morning?"
The hearing yesterday heard from ambulance technician Fleur Frost who felt that Hubbard had treated Patient A as if she was wasting their time.
The hearing was told that after a row between Hubbard and the patient over medication, Hubbard was on the phone to the patient's daughter as they walked her out of her flat, telling her everything was "fine".
Ms Frost said: "The patient stopped and she looked at me and was crying again and she said: 'I'm not making this up, you've got to believe me, I am in pain'."
Shortly after the call the patient fell to the floor and Hubbard is accused of saying, "What have you gone and thrown yourself down there for?"
Unable to get up, Patient A was given blankets to keep her warm as they waited for back-up. When she arrived at South-ampton General Hospital it was discovered that she had suffered a fractured hip.
Hubbard admits failing to reassess the patient after her fall and not providing effective pain relief, to accusing the patient of throwing herself to the ground and telling her colleague not to take the patient's medication to hospital.
She denies six other charges, including not properly considering the patient's concerns about the pain she was in and speaking to the patient in an abrupt or aggressive manner.
The hearing is expected to last until Thursday.
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Cheryl Daniel Thursday, December 06, 2012 10:28:07 PM Why was she still employed or licensed after her refusal to treat a seizure patient back in 2010? This lady is a disaster on feet. 
Mike Linley Friday, December 07, 2012 2:47:20 PM Ms. Hubbard, You have disgraced the uniform of anyone connected with the ambulance service worldwide. The first rule of medicine "DO NO HARM". Your actions did irreparable damage to the reputation's of workers in the medical field and severely damaged any confidence that patients have in our abilities to assist them in their hour of need. 
