GIBSON: FOUL-MOUTHED PARAMEDIC LED CAMPAIGN OF BULLYING AGAINST AMBULANCE DRIVERS
A bullying tutor told trainee ambulance drivers their job was to make tea for paramedics, a hearing was told today (Weds)
Foul-mouthed senior paramedic Paul Gibson subjected students to a campaign of ‘belittling’ and intimidating behaviour during a four-week course and claimed he ‘didn’t care’ if they passed or failed.
He left one trainee on the verge of tears as she waited in a corridor for an exam to start at the Elmbank Training Centre in Wakefield, west Yorkshire, the Health Professions Council heard.
A group of four students complained and were asked to keep a diary of Gibson’s comments in January last year, after he told them to ‘keep your f***ing mouth shut’.
On one occasion he told them: ‘Oh, you have decided to f***ing turn up. I wouldn’t have f***ing bothered.’
It is claimed he undermined the work of ambulance drivers by saying their job was to make paramedics ‘a cup of tea, two sugars’ and told them: ‘I f***ing hate APs (assistant practitioners) I don’t care if you pass or fail’
It is further said he was prejudiced towards staff from south Yorkshire, once proclaiming ‘south are sh**, west is best.’
Gibson has admitted three charges of using foul language but denies any bias against ambulance drivers or people from south Yorkshire, or that his behaviour amounted to bullying.
Elizabeth Taheri, for the HPC, said one student was left on the verge of tears after seeing the course leader on February 18 last year.
She said: ‘Paul Gibson walked past and said “your head’s down – with an attitude like that you will fail. Get off your f***ing arse and f***ing get in the classroom.”
‘They went into the room and he said “that’s better – your head’s up”.
The student wrote in a statement: ‘After that I left because I didn’t want to cry in the classroom. Afterwards Paul asked if I was ok and I said I had been until he started.’
Ms Taheri added: ‘That feeling of belittling, making derogatory comments or being intimidating is one which is echoed in all the statements.’
Gibson admitted the incident took place and said he regretted swearing and realised he had sworn at the wrong person.
He claimed he had asked students if they minded him using ‘the type of language they would hear during their duties,’ but no-one had objected.
Giving evidence, investigating officer Peter Somerfield said he had asked the four students to keep a diary of Gibson’s outbursts to be used as evidence.
He said: ‘I’m not going to lie – there’s industrial language used in the paramedics but it did shock me who he’d said it to.
‘It was probably a misjudgment of character on Paul’s behalf.’
During his investigation in to Gibson’s conduct, Mr Somerfield said he started getting regular e-mails and phone calls from people on previous courses which the paramedic had led.
But Mr Somerfield said began to suspect the four students were ‘trying to get backing for their complaints.’
‘Along with the HR manager I decided to stop it there. The investigation could still be going on, it was snowballing,’ he added.
Giving evidence Gibson said the four students were ‘troublemakers’ who were separated from the rest of the class after missing the first three days of the course.
He said: ‘They mostly kept to themselves – they sat at the side and didn’t participate, so I tried my best to get them to join in with the other group.
‘They were basically forced into going on the course, because they’d heard their pay was going to be dropped so there was a bit of resentment about that.’
When asked if the group had sworn amongst themselves, Gibson said that they had.
He added: ‘One of the girls who complained was constantly making sexual innuendos.’
If Gibson is found guilty of the charges and misconduct, he could face being struck off.
The hearing continues.
Ends
