By Stephen Bailey
Bournemouth Echo
BOURNEMOUTH, England — An ambulance driver was dismissed after allegedly striking up a relationship with a patient he met while on duty.
The man was working for the private firm Ability, which is based at Queens Park in Bournemouth.
One ambulance worker said: “They got the lady’s telephone number while they were transporting her to Dorset County Hospital.”
A spokesperson for Dorset County Hospital said: “We cannot comment in any detail because of our duty to protect patient confidentiality.
“An incident we were made aware of was reported to Ability and we are satisfied that they have taken appropriate action.
“The incident did not take place within the hospital.”
A spokesman for Dorset LINk, the new NHS watchdog, said: “The trust is satisfied there’s been appropriate action taken by Ability and as far as we are concerned that would be the end of it.
“Whatever happened was consenting.”
When asked what happened to the staff member, the spokesman said: “They have been dismissed from Ability.”
Ability declined to comment.
The firm’s website describes itself as “a market leading company using high tech services, delivering wheelchair/patient transport for today’s environment with professional and cost effective solutions”.
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