The South Wales Evening Post
CARDIFF, Wales — A woman paramedic on a 999 call went on a shopping trip in her ambulance, a disciplinary hearing in Cardiff was told.
Esther Thomas, 37, from Llanelli, took the Welsh Ambulance Service vehicle to an Aldi store instead of telling controllers she was free for another medical emergency.
Thomas bought personal shopping at the Llanelli store while on duty, with another paramedic waiting in the ambulance in the car park outside. But the hearing was told a shocked member of the public saw Thomas in her paramedic’s uniform taking a shrub she dug up from the store’s car park.
She was then suspended from her job while an investigation was launched. But the hearing was told she was still being paid nearly two years later.
Laura Ryan, presenting the case, said Thomas and another paramedic were called to an emergency response to a patient.
She said: “The patient declined transport to hospital and, after completing paperwork, Thomas asked her colleague to drive her to Aldi.
“She did not inform her controller that she was clear to carry out further duties.
“Esther Thomas went into the supermarket and made the purchases, buying plants, plant pots, Neurofen and sweets and placed them in the ambulance. She then went to an area of landscaping in the car park and removed a small bush from the ground.”
Miss Ryan told the disciplinary hearing of Health Professions Council that Thomas was spotted in her uniform by a member of the public taking the shrub from the store in Llanelli.
She said: “The store manager contacted Thomas and requested that she return the shrub. The manager said if she did this then he did not want to take it any further.”
The store did not inform police about what happened but their headquarters reported it to the Welsh Ambulance Service.
The hearing in Cardiff was told Thomas was suspended after the shrub incident was reported to the Welsh Ambulance Service in April, 2009.
Miss Ryan said: “The investigation found she attended the supermarket without any permission and there was a delay in her being available to do any other job.
“Esther Thomas was then dismissed from the service. However, she appealed and was reinstated but she remains suspended and is still currently being paid.”
The hearing was told Thomas had a personal medical problem and that her treatment might have affected her behaviour.
But the panel chose to hear evidence regarding Thomas’s health issues in private.
Thomas admitted going to the supermarket while on duty, failing to inform the controller and taking the shrub, but denied her behaviour was misconduct which could have seen her struck off the working register.
The panel agreed that the allegations did not amount to misconduct to end her career.
Panel Chairman Derek Adrian-Harris told the hearing she was free to restart work as a paramedic.
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