Paramedic drunk at wheel of ambulance, hearing told

A paramedic was drunk when driving an ambulance on an urgent call-out during which he was involved in an accident, a professional misconduct hearing ruled yesterday.

Robert Kane admitted to his supervisor he was drunk and offered him money to forget about it, the Health Professions Council (HPC) fitness-to-practise panel, sitting in Belfast, was told.

Kane, who has already been sacked by the health trust which employed him as a paramedic in Coleraine following an internal disciplinary hearing, failed to attend the hearing in relation to the incident which occurred on February 14, 2007.

The Conduct and Competence Committee of the HPC decided to go ahead in his absence after making contact with Kane who said his car had broken down and it did not suit him to travel by bus or train. He said he was happy for the proceedings to continue in his absence.

Station officer Malcom Steward, who carried out an investigation into Kane’s conduct, said Kane insisted he had not been drinking that day or the previous night and attributed it to the use of some alcohol wipes earlier in the day which he had put across his face to cover the smell of diseased remains.

He said it was shown at the disciplinary hearing that the smell of the wipes disappeared after a couple of seconds. Kane’s conversations with ambulance control had also been recorded, he said.

“It was my view his voice was slurred. I concluded there was a question over whether he was fit to be on duty at that time,” said Mr Steward.

Kane was found guilty of professional misconduct on a series of charges dating back to the date in question.

He has the option of appealing to the High Court within 28 days.

Kane was found guilty of being the driver of an ambulance which had been dispatched to an urgent “doctor’s call” on the way to which he was involved in a crash and that he failed to stop at the scene.

He was further found guilty of being confused about details and having slurred speech when he did later report the collision.

He was also found guilty that when the call was complete he smelled of alcohol, his appearance and demeanour indicated intoxication and he admitted being intoxicated when questioned by the crewmate.