GIBSON: PARAMEDIC WHO CREATED ‘DEGRADING AND HUMILIATING’ ATMOSPHERE CAN KEEP JOB
A ‘bullying’ course tutor who told trainee paramedics he ‘didn’t care’ if they passed or failed has been ruled fit to practice by his governing body.
Foul-mouthed senior paramedic Paul Gibson who told pupil ambulance drivers their job was to make tea for paramedics
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 today (Weds).
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.’
He insisted the job of ambulance drivers 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.’
Gibson insulted staff from south Yorkshire, once proclaiming ‘south are sh**, west is best.’
An HPC panel found Gibson guilty of all charges, adding that his ‘bullying’ behaviour had created a ‘degrading and humiliating environment’ for the students involved.
But they felt the paramedic had worked on his attitude since he was handed an eight-month caution by his employers in August 2010.
Having completed extra training, including a conflict resolution course, he had since returned to his job without any reported problems.
Chairman Ian Griffiths said no further action was necessary.
He added: ‘The registrant’s fitness to practise is not currently impaired because he has shown real insight into his failings and made efforts to address them.’
The paramedic had admitted three charges of using foul language but denied 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.’
The paramedic admitted the incident took place and said he regretted swearing and realised he had sworn at the wrong person.
He claimed he had asked the trainees if they minded him using ‘the type of language they would hear during their duties,’ but no-one had objected.
Giving evidence, Gibson said the group who complained 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.’
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