A paramedic struck off for failing to give adequate care to a teenager who took her own life is claiming unfair dismissal from North East Ambulance Service.

An Employment Tribunal heard Gavin Wood became unfit for work in December 2018 after 26 years of service with an ‘unblemished’ record.

It coincided with the death of 17-year-old Quinn Milburn-Beadle who died in a wooded area near her home in Shildon.

Read more: Quinn Beadle paramedic struck off for misconduct 

Last week, the Conduct and Competence Committee of the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service removed him from the register after hearing he told police officers to stop resuscitating her.

The panel heard he pronounced Quinn dead, despite being at the scene just a few minutes after checking her pupils with a pencil torch and failed to carry out standard procedures, such as clearing her airways, trying to find a femoral pulse or using a defibrillator.

Quinn‘s death is one of around 90 cases highlighted by NEAS whistleblower Paul Calvert who alleges families have been misled at inquests to cover up medical mistakes.

Important information regarding Quinn’s final moments was withheld from a coroner’s court in April 2019, including the reading from a monitor showing heart activity, and a second hearing was held.

Read more: Paramedic accused of misconduct told police to stop giving teenager CPR

The Northern Echo: Quinn Milburn-Beadle Quinn Milburn-Beadle (Image: Contributor)

The issue is now the subject of an inquiry ordered by former Health Secretary Sajid Javid and is being overseen by NHS England.

The Employment Tribunal, which started on Tuesday, heard Mr Wood was the subject of an internal investigation by NEAS and that he was on sick leave from December 2018 before going on ‘special leave’ on full pay until August 2020 when his employment was terminated.

Douglas McDougall, who is now retired but was the NEAS south area's Strategic Head of Operations, at the time told the hearing: “By May 2020 he was on special leave because of the circumstances surrounding the coronial process.

“He was put on special leave with full pay. He was unavailable for work at that time.

“There was no likelihood of him returning in the medium or short term.”

Mr Wood’s legal representative, Len Mann, cross-examining, asked if investigations conducted by the trust relating to his conduct and the incident in December 2018 were contributory factors towards Mr Wood’s (poor) health.

Mr McDougall said: “I cannot answer that question because I don’t know the answer.”

Mr Mann asked if the length of time the investigation took, around 18 weeks, contributed to the severity of Mr Wood’s illness.

Mr McDougall said: “I agree that perhaps this may have impacted on his mental health.”

Mr McDougall was also asked about the impact the coroner’s inquests, where Mr Wood was expected to give evidence about the care he gave Quinn, would have on him.

He said: “I think any processes going on in the background will contribute to people’s mental health and well-being.

“It is a fairly stressful thing to go through so yes I understand and yes I do think it would be a stressful period for Mr Wood.”

Mr Wood is also claiming harassment relating to disability and discrimination arising from disability against his former employer.

The tribunal heard that Mr Wood was an inpatient on a ward at the University Hospital of North Tees when the final inquest into the death of Quinn was held in October 2020 but he did not attend.

Clinical care manager John O’Neill, who said he had been friends with Mr Wood, confirmed he had visited him on the ward on the day of the inquest.

He said it had been to warn him there was media interest in the case and reporters were at the hearing.

He denied it had been to harass or intimidate Mr Wood.

Read more: Ambulance whistleblower sacked days before Christmas 

When it was suggested Mr O’Neill wore his NEAS uniform on the ward to deliberately increase Mr Wood’s anxiety he responded: “Absolutely not.”

Dr Mathew Beattie, medical director of NEAS, told the tribunal he had a meeting with Mr Wood and his wife on October 22, 2019 as there had been a breakdown with operational members of staff who felt a more senior manager should be involved with conversations with Mr Wood.

He said: “I told Mr Wood that in terms of clinical management I had no concerns but in terms of his documentation of the notes that I did have concerns and made it very clear to Mr Wood that that was a very significant concern.

“As part of his clinical duties clear documentation was absolutely essential.

“I was aware that there had been other issues with other paramedics with note keeping within the trust.”

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Dr Beattie said did not think Mr Wood was well enough to attend the second inquest into Quinn’s death in October 2020.

He said: “My concern was that Mr Wood’s history of health issues further stress of the coroner’s court would potentially have a negative impact on him and result in further ill health.

“Obviously as an organisation we wanted to try to support him through that so that hopefully we would get him to a point where he would be fit and able to return to work.”

 

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