A dogs life

As I see it, its just a snapshot of the endemic corruption of employees use of government resources.

Where I'm from in the UK, they really did believe their police cars were taxis, as were ambulances. As a kid I got taken to early morning swimming training at 6am every morning by a police car my Dad arranged.

I got picked up from school in a police personnel carrier every day.

I hated it Dad used to turn on the siren when he was driving behind me, if I hadn't seen him. This was in Northern Ireland, and it was one of those fully armoured bullet proof things.

It all sounds very funny... but it sucks . I'm not paying my taxes to provide taxis for government employees and their families
It really is time to cut out wastage in government. Too many people think working for the government means freebie central.

ADL

herrchook

I see your point 100% and agree with you, but hasn't every one taken advantage of their employers in some way - e.g. pinched a pen from the stationary cupboard, surfed the internet when they should be working, made personal phone calls from work...etc. It all adds up and ends up costing the customer in some way. I don't agree with it, it's just what happens.

Lordflasheart

Good lord. The whole idea of the original thread on the shropshire star forum was to keep things in perspective.

Anastasia Beaverhausen

John Prescott should be sacked too then. 8 years no council tax paid, and there are pensioners going to jail for as much. That is an abuse of public funds, far more than the ambulance guy.

kitty4

I've signed.
Yes it was an error of judgement which I should think all involved really regret and punishment is justified (for all), however, sacking a highly trained person and reducing resources for the emergency service isn't the way to deal with this (based on the info we have).
It's a pity others (including employees of public services) who really are a premeditated fraud or a danger to the public don't get the same sensational and intense pressure from the press/public to hang, draw and quarter them!!! Probably because most of it never gets to the attention of the press/public because it is not emotional/sensational enough, but things do go on which cause far more harm over long periods of time.

BRICKY ADE

Hang the Bar Steward then !!! is that what you really want to say phoenix...is it... go on admit it .... it is, innitt ???

No...you made some valid points and I admire your opinions and some were right and justified. All I was trying to say was to get things into perspective. Compared with the atrocities that are going on in the world as we speak, I feel (some) things are blown out of proportion.

Sorry, if I've offended anyone but we'll just have to agree to disagree on some matters.


BRICKY ADE

Lordflasheart

Thanks for your comments kitty - K sent.

Funny thing is the same rag that "broke this world exclusive" tied his name (when they eventually got it - don't know from where) to another feature they had ran in the past. On this occasion he had safely delivered breach twins. No mention of that in the papers though.

phoenixinoz

Agree. And then when they're caught they get a warning or sacked, depending on the severity.......and the persons position of responsibility.

No one's perfect, but do something irresponsible in a responsible position and usually it's the chop. Argument is, you should know better. Emotions don't come into it

phoenixinoz

You know what m8.....believe it or not I feel for this guy

I reckon he works closely with these people day in,day out seeing some shite accidents. Teamwork in these circumstances is vital so the Dr's, nurses and paramedics all work as one under extreme circumstances.

I reckon in their drunken stupor the lot of em asked for a lift and he thought oh go on then...it's Xmas....it's quiet......it'll be OK.

I can see it and I can imagine I could do the same thing.

But it was him, not me...and he got caught.

So we look at the facts, take out the emotion....and for all the reasons I mention it seems a fate accompli

The crap thing is this guy has been suspended for two weeks while they investigate. This is a tough time for him and he's gonna need a lot of support from LF cos no doubt he will be re-living this stupid one off behaviour in his head .......and wishing he'd never done it. I feel for the guy

Lordflasheart

But surely that's the whole point here. Emotions DO come into it. But big style.

>>
A man makes a mistake while he is a work. He has a responsible job where his actions could mean the difference between life or death.

He’s very good at his job as he’s been doing it for over a decade and there are a lot of people within the community he serves, walking round, living their lives because of his actions. He has also been the recipient of many “thank you” letters during his career, all of which he has kept.

This mistake in its self affects no one. No one dies. No one has to wait for attention. It didn’t cost the tax payer any money.

He is given an anonymous tip off that the Shropshire Star has been informed of his mistake. He speaks to senior managers immediately to inform them of what he had done before they have to read it in the paper.

He knows his actions were unacceptable. He deeply regretted the incident. He worried for his job and for his family. He felt stupid, remorseful, embarrassed and guilty.

After 2 days of worry, the Shropshire Star prints the story.

Front page.

Over the next 2 days it appears on local and national radio, national newspapers, international newspapers, Sky TV and Teletext. His mistake is debated on day time TV shows and is the butt of jokes for a DJ on Radio One.

Is he a “Celebrity” found taking cocaine in a hotel room? No.

Maybe a politician with allegations of corruption? No.

Perhaps a well paid footballer accused of match fixing? Not at all.


He’s a Paramedic. An ordinary bloke that goes to work, does his job and pays his taxes then goes home to his family.

Imagine making a mistake, a lapse of judgment in your place of work and these events unfolding.

The might of the Ambulance Service discipline procedure would be difficult to compare to how he has been treated by the media.

My message to Kirsty Marston and all the other journalists and presenters who have written, invented, embellished and berated is:

What good have you ever done in your life?
<<


Point is the punishment should fit the crime.

phoenixinoz

I never doubted this LF. The fact the crew were there is not the issue.

I presume by "they" you mean your m8 the Paramedic?

By default, if the ambulance had been taken to transport drunken Dr's and Nurses..... then it was unavailable. Even if there was a call, and he "tipped" the drunken bunch out, this does not detract from the fact the ambulance was being used as a taxi.

As an aside, was it insured to carry "normal" passengers? [Normally if someone's genuinly ill relative is in an ambulance ...relatives are asked to follow behind in their own cars as they are not insured I beleive ]

Debatable.

Depends on who are deemed to be the "patients".

The Dr's and Nurses could have ended up as "patients" had the ambulance been involved in an accident.

Alternatively, genuine patients calling for an ambulance would have relied on him "emptying" his ambulance first of drunken Dr's/nurses thereby possibly delaying the ambulance for genuine callers.

Does it matter? All vehicles are there because technically they may be required in the area.

This does not detract from the fact an ambulance was used for a purpose other than what was intended.


Does this detract from the fact the ambulance was used for a purpose other than for which it was intended?

I'm sorry LF...I don't mean to be harsh...I'm being devils advocate here. We can inadvertently smoke screen but then we keep coming back to the same thing, he used his ambulance as a taxi. All the other issues are as an aside, and what ifs, and emotion.......

I understand this guy was a genuine hard working paramedic, who probably happened to pass some colleagues and gave them a lift en route to the station. However

1. He gave them a lift in an ambulance [it is not a Taxi]
2. He probably signed a contract which states this is a serious offence, likely to result in dismissal
3. His passengers were probably not insured in the event of an accident
4. He probably made his insurance Nil and void in the event of being irresponsible and having *irresponsible* passengers
5. Had he or they caused an accident, who would be held responsible? The paramedic or his drunken passengers? This debate could result in lengthy court proceedings?
6. Had the ambulance been delayed [even for minutes] whilst he offloaded his passengers, and this had delayed a genuine caller / patient...who subsequently died...could the relatives potentially sue the ambulance service?
7. What does the publicity do for the NHS...given resources are tight?
8. What about the next Paramedic, Policeman or Fireman etc who does this? They might be great, conscientious blokes....or women....do they get a contract to say it's a "no,no" but get let off first time too?

I hope he has got some very good mitigating circumstances or his union find a loophole cos it aint looking good where I'm sitting

The above questions will probably be raised and the likelihood of those things happening / risks etc established.

I hope your mate is OK cos he will be feeling pretty low down at the moment.

The investigation process is lengthy, frightening and upsetting. Usually the toss-pots don't care but genuine guys like your mate will be devastated. This isn't just a job, it's his mates, career and future.

A sorry state of affairs

Just had a thought....and no doubt his Union will advise.
Could he ask for leniency based on unblemished service, length of service, good character etc? Perhaps "seek" demotion rather than dismissal...and if he is as good as you say, then he'll soon get promoted again to the level he's at

Rick C

Im sorry but after all is said and done, he was in the wrong. My uncle collapsed at home yesterday with chest pains and it took the mbulance 45 minutes to get to him. I don't know why it was late but if I found out it was because the driver was dropping off his mates I'd have his job and his balls on a plate.
He did wrong and needs to accept the consequences of his actions. He should have said no, why didn't the DRs and nurses call a normal taxi like everyone else. Nurses are poorly paid and all that but so are alot of other people and they can still afford a taxi.

Margaret2

absolutely 100% agree with you Kitty.

If all nhs employees were sacked for making stupid errors in judgement at one time in their careers there would be no one working there.

Surely like the rest a warning would be sufficient.

and when I think about the abuse of resources (especially time), from 'high-up'employees it makes my blood boil.

all I can say the night the ambulance driver did this, they should seek out every one who called in sick that night and wasn't sick and sack them, at least he was at his bloody work.

and what about this poor guys family, what hell they must be going through, I am so angry when I think about people slinging mud at him, coz he is a relatively easy target in the black hole of the nhs.

I tried to sign on the forum mate, but couldn't will try again, promise.

BRICKY ADE

WTF phoenix !!! Why do you feel the need to dissect and quote everyones reply. We've all got our opinions, some are wrong some are right but thats it.... they are opinions, there not mitigating facts that will affect in any diverse way the punishment these guy(s) will have thrown upon them. Please, please , please and please will you stop "TRYING" to be the judge and juror on peoples threads ? LOL

phoenixinoz

Ahh....apologies LF....I think I may have worded things badly

What I meant is.....emotions don't come into it when a decision is made.

What I meant was ....of course emotions come into how your mate, his family, his colleagues, you are feeling etc....however the people making the decision have to go through the facts, the mitigating circumstances and all the statements taken at the time. They take away the emotional aspects and look at hard, cold facts and base their decision on these matters.

Apologies for adding to your stress m8