Paramedic faces sack for refusing to attend 999 emergencies

Published on Tuesday 9 June 2009 22:04

A PARAMEDIC faces the sack after he refused to answer two emergency 999 calls.

William Munro, from Glasgow, blamed the stress of the job after being chased by a patient wielding a Samurai sword and being confronted by a man with a knife.

But a panel decided yesterday that was no excuse for his refusal to attend two emergencies involving pensioners.

Mr Munro was working alone on 24 April, 2006 when he refused to attend to the two elderly patients. The first call was to an 82-year-old woman who was experiencing breathing difficulties. The second involved a 70-year-old man with chest pains.

Mr Munro blamed post-traumatic stress disorder on his refusals after it emerged he had been confronted by two patients in the previous six months who were carrying weapons.

Giving evidence to a Health Professions Council panel in Edinburgh yesterday, Mr Munro denied refusing to attend the first call but admitted the charge involving the male pensioner.

Problems arose when Mr Munro's crew partner called in sick, leaving him to operate the ambulance on his own. Unaware of this, the emergency dispatch operators tried to get his vehicle to attend the two calls.

Paramedics are required to respond single-manned to an emergency call if there is no indication of violence or alcohol. The hearing was told both incidences met that criteria.

But Mr Munro claims he refused the calls because he was "anxious" about attending the calls on his own after being confronted by a mental health patient brandishing a knife, a hammer and a Samurai sword in October 2005.

Six months later he and his partner were challenged by another man carrying a knife.

The panel found the charges against Mr Munro proven and will decide on his competence and sanctions at a later date.