'Drunk' paramedic stuck off

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 last Tuesday.

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, heard.

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.

Imposing the strongest possible sanction – being struck off the register – the panel said: "The public could have no confidence that it could not happen again."

Commenting that there was no realistic possibility of rehabilitation, Dr Yule added: "The only sanction to ensure public protection and to maintain public confidence in the profession, is striking-off."

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.

Supervisor Eddie Kilgore, who blew the whistle on him, told bosses: "He was not slightly drunk, he was pissed."

Kane was found guilty of professional misconduct on a series of charges relating to a call-out on February 14, 2007 – Valentine's Day.

The three-member panel, chaired by Dr Alexander Yule, said: "The registrant was intoxicated while on duty and driving on a public road."

He was found guilty of being the driver of an ambulance dispatched to an urgent doctor's call when he was involved in a crash and failed to stop.

He was also found guilty of being confused and having slurred speech when he later reported the accident to controllers from his mobile phone.

Mr Kilgore, who had known Mr Kane for 15 years as his supervisor and friend, said he had only just gone on duty when they got the call-out. Kane took the keys and got behind the wheel while he got in the back of the ambulance.

After they had travelled a short distance he "heard Robin swearing and he swerved quite aggressively and I fell off my seat".

"He said something like – someone had driven in front of him, but everything was OK."

When they arrived at the call-out he ordered Kane out of the vehicle because he could not get it into reverse to park, he said.

"Robin was very loud and abrasive with the patient. He said: 'What about you big man' and things like that."

When Mr Kilgore confronted him, he admitted taking alcohol.

"He said something along the lines of: 'We have been friends a long time – is there any way you can forget about it?'. He offered me money."

Station Officer Malcolm Stewart carried out an investigation. He said Kane insisted he had not been drinking and attributed it to the use of alcohol wipes earlier in the day which he had put across his face to cover the smell of diseased remains.

"I concluded there was a question over whether he was fit to be on duty at that time," he said.

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