Paramedic is guilty of misconduct

A paramedic has been found guilty of misconduct after going to her station to swap crews instead of responding to a 999 call about an injured child.

Dorne Barber returned to the ambulance station in Wallasey, Wirral, despite a code red call to attend to a two-year-old girl with a throat injury.

The panel at the Health Professions Council (HPC) was told she did this so a colleague could call his wife.

The HPC said Mrs Barber had made a "serious error of judgement".

Receiving the emergency call in December 2006 when they were 200 yds from the station in Wallasey, they decided to swap crews so Colin Reason could call his wife, who had just undergone treatment for cancer.

"It was a split second decision."
Dorne Barber

Mrs Barber said: "We had been talking throughout the day and he had been anxious about his wife.

"Colin asked me to stop at the station so he could call his wife. It was a split second decision."

When they reached the station, the night team they were going to swap with were delayed as one of them stayed behind to sign paperwork.

The new crew eventually arrived one minute after the maximum eight-minute response time.

Mrs Barber said: "Even though they were a very reliable crew, I realise that due to unforeseen circumstances they were delayed.

"I have definitely learnt from this incident and I totally regret the actions I took that night."

'One-off'

The panel heard that it was not an "uncommon practise" for paramedics to hand-over before the end of their shift.

Representing the HPC, Sophie Kemp said: "This is a clear cut case of misconduct, she deliberately didn't attend the call.

"Although there was no harm to the child, the crew were delayed causing an unnecessary risk to that child."

Defending, Ray Carrick, for the Ambulance Service Union, said: "It was a one-off and it won't happen again.

"She's held her hands up and admitted she did swap and it is her error of judgment."

Panel chairman Martin Ryder said that they considered no further action necessary but a sanction was appropriate.

The panel at the hearing ruled that Mrs Barber should have a caution order on her registration for one year.

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