Paramedic tutor’s ‘strange use of oxygen hose’

A paramedics’ tutor placed the hose from a powered oxygen hood on a colleague’s breast during a training session, a tribunal heard.

Michael Walters also kissed the woman on the lips when they were both wearing facemasks, it is claimed.

The incidents are said to have happened during an instruction session at Bath Ambulance Station, during the first national lockdown, on 25 April 2020.

The allegations are being heard as part of a misconduct hearing at the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service.

Walters, a paramedic since the 1980s, could lose his job if the charges against him are proven.

But Ian Kelcey, for Walters, told the tribunal panel that the evidence did not support the complainant’s case.

Mr Kelcey said that her evidence was ‘inconsistent’.

Referring to the second allegation, the incident with the hose, Mr Kelcey said: ‘In the statement to the police complainant B says it was placed twice on her breast.

‘That statement is made on 2 July.’

In a WhatsApp message the complainant sent on 17 May ‘she says the hose was placed on her breast four times’, the lawyer went on.

In another account she said the hose was placed ‘on each breast in turn’, the tribunal heard.

‘So by now we have three different accounts,’ Mr Kelcey said.

Turning to the first allegation, Mr Kelcey said Walters was only in the office ‘for a short period of time’.

The tribunal heard how Walters dealt with a ‘tragic incident’ that morning and also how he won an award for his service in 2020.

Mr Kelcey went on: ‘This case was referred to the CPS.

‘They are the ones who make a decision as to whether someone should be charged with a criminal offence.’

One of the tests the CPS have to ask before proceeding to charge is: ‘Does the case have a better than 50 per cent chance of conviction?’

‘That is the same criteria that you are being asked to judge on,’ Mr Kelcey continued.

‘In my submission all of the evidence supports the registrant’s case. It does not support complainant B’s case.

‘It is our submission that this case does not meet the threshold criteria for you to make a finding on either allegation against the registrant in this case.’

Jamila Bernard-Stevenson, for the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), said the threshold the panel must meet is different.

They must decide ‘on the balance of probabilities’ whereas a criminal court would have to decide ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

Walters describes himself as an NHS Paramedic IHCD (Institute of Health and Care Development) Tutor on his LinkedIn page. He states he started in the Health Care Profession in 1983 at Frenchay hospital in Bristol.

The first charge against Wilson alleged that during filtering face piece respirator/facemask fit testing or instruction he grabbed and held complainant B’s head and kissed her on the lips whilst they were both wearing facemasks.

The second charge alleges he placed the hose of the powered hood being tested on complainant B’s right breast.

It is also claimed that by reason of misconduct the paramedic’s fitness to practise is impaired.

The panel has retired to consider its decision, expected to be announced by chair Polly Clarke tomorrow (thurs).