21st January 2005
NEWS RELEASE
York paramedic suspended by UK health regulator

A paramedic from York has been suspended for 12 months by the Health Professions Council. Linda Bailey will not be able to practise using the legally protected title 'paramedic' for the next 12 months.

A panel of the Health Committee met in Darlington on the 20th January to consider the case of Linda Bailey.

John Camp, Chair of the Panel said... "Her history of problems with her health go back to 1995 when concerns were expressed about her psychological well-being and an occupational health physician expressed doubts about her ability to cope with the demanding responsibilities of a Paramedic.

She was seen again in 1997 when an occupational health physician gave his opinion that she had 'an immature and manipulative personality' and did not consider her a fit person to work as a Paramedic.

In 2003 she had further problems, both mental and physical. The Trust witness Mr Summerfield said in his referral to the Occupational Health Service that Miss Bailey was 'displaying irrational behaviour' and that a number of her colleagues were expressing concerns over her ability to perform her role as a Paramedic. The occupational physician said that her current mental state was such as to make her presently unfit for work.

In 2004 the same occupational physician gave her opinion that Miss Bailey was vulnerable and susceptible to life's pressures and that this pattern was likely to continue. She had received appropriate help and support from a variety of sources over several years but without affect on her attendance record.

Miss Bailey's attendance record at work has been described as 'unacceptable'. This has been over a long period. In 2003, her non-attendance rate was 56%. Her employment with Tenyas NHS Trust was terminated on 27th April 2004.

For these reasons, we find that Miss Bailey's health is impaired. Moreover, we find that her past record means that she currently presents a risk and that this affects her fitness to practise in the future.

The Committee directs the Registrar to suspend Miss Bailey's registration for a period of 1 year.

The registrant has not attended today's hearing and no submissions have been made on her behalf. We consider that the evidence shows that Miss Bailey presents a risk to the public and her problems have not been resolved by the help and support offered to her.

We have considered each of the sanctions available to us and have decided that to take no further action or to impose a caution or conditions of practice order in this case would not adequately protect the public.

Furthermore, we consider that the registrant presents a current risk to the public and is at risk of worsening her mental health problems should she work as a paramedic before her substantive suspension takes effect. We, therefore, consider that, for the protection of the public and in the registrant's own interests, an interim suspension order should be made until the expiry of the appeal period or the disposal of any appeal.

The Health Professions Council is a UK wide health regulator set up to protect the public. It sets standards for thirteen health professions. The HPC only registers people who meet its standards for their professional skills, behaviour and health, and will take action against people who do not.