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West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic struck off over burn on patient

A paramedic has been struck off after causing a patient to go to hospital by burning her back with a hot water bottle.

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West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic Wayne O'Neill left the woman's back blistered, causing her to go to hospital.

And he had shown 'no remorse' since the incident, a hearing of the Health and Care Professions Council found. The service apologised for Mr O'Neill's actions and said he was sacked after an investigation.

The woman, whose name and address have not been released, called for an ambulance with 'severe back and leg pain'.

Mr O'Neill diagnosed that she had sciatica and sent her concerned son to buy a hot-water bottle and a painkilling gel. But when Mr O'Neill applied the water bottle to her back it was scalding hot and she screamed in pain

The paramedic's visit lasted about two hours. But the next day the woman's pain was so severe she had to go to hospital.

This time another paramedic attended and he discovered a burn injury on her back, with the wound surrounded by blisters.

He Mr Eastbury advised that she needed to go to hospital for treatment.

Chair of the tribunal, Donald Brown, said: 'The panel heard clear and consistent evidence that Patient A screamed in pain when the hot water bottle was applied to her back. The panel has also had sight of the photographs of Patient A's back which show the extent of the injury."

In an interview with his bosses Mr O'Neill accepted that he applied Voltarol gel to the patient's back and then used a hot water bottle.

However he denied that the patient had screamed in pain.

Striking him off, Mr Brown said: "This paramedic has demonstrated such serious failings in the treatment of a patient and has failed to demonstrate whether or how he intends to address his behaviour and lacks both insight and remorse."

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Jamie Arrowsmith said: "This must have been a very distressing case for the patient and their family for which we are very sorry. Mr O'Neill went outside his scope of practice and broke numerous trust policies and procedures."

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