A paramedic has been struck off for having sex with a patient during an ambulance callout in 2020.
Ian T Neale admitted to having sexual intercourse with a vulnerable patient while attending their home address on 24 October 2020.
The paramedic, who worked for Yorkshire Ambulance Services NHS Trust, was found to be “fundamentally incompatible with registration as a health professional” by a health and care professions tribunal service panel.
The panel heard how Mr Neale attended the patient on his own on two occasions, the first being on September 18 2020.
On 24 October 2020, the patient then rang for an ambulance at 8pm.
The panel heard that Mr Neale admitted in a police interview days later that he had consensual sex with the patient at her home address while attending the 999 call.
He was charged with a criminal sexual offence but was later acquitted of the offence at trial in August 2023, after denying the conduct amounted to the alleged criminal offence.
Giving evidence at the trial, he said he was aware the patient was vulnerable.
The tribunal report reads: “The Registrant admitted attending on Service User A at their home address on 24 October 2020.
“He attended, whilst on duty and in uniform, in response to the Service User A’s emergency 999 call to the Trust’s ambulance service.
“The Registrant attended Service User A’s home address in a rapid response vehicle. He admitted having sexual intercourse with Service User A on that visit on the 24 October 2020.
“In the trial transcript, the Registrant admitted that he had contravened the Trust’s code of conduct. On the basis of the Registrant’s admissions, the Panel was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the Registrant had sexual intercourse with Service User A as alleged.”
Paramedics employed at the trust attended the home of the patient the following day, where information about Mr Neale’s attendance was disclosed and the Trust was alerted. He was arrested and interviewed by police on October 28 2020.
The panel found the allegations proven and decided to strike Mr Neale off.
The panel concluded: “The Panel concluded that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was a Striking Off Order.
“The allegations concerning Service User A were very serious. Considering paragraph 131 of the Sanctions Policy, the Registrant had not demonstrated any real intent or efforts to remedy the misconduct.
“The Registrant remained a continuing risk to service users and the public.
“The Panel considered that the sexual misconduct found proved at this hearing was fundamentally incompatible with registration as a health professional on the HCPC Register.”
