Twelve convicted criminals, including eight sex offenders, have lost their paramedic registrations and face a permanent ban from practicing in Ireland. The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), the national ambulance regulator, declined to renew their accreditations following a comprehensive HR review at the National Ambulance Service (NAS).
Key Findings from the Review
The review identified 13 paramedics with criminal records who were actively working as recently as December. PHECC confirms that 12 of these individuals, including those with sexual convictions, are no longer on the register and cannot practice. One paramedic remains registered after officials determined their offense bore no relation to professional duties.
A PHECC spokesman stated: “In relation to PHECC registrants who have been convicted of offences, while we cannot comment on specific details concerning individual cases, PHECC can confirm that there are no registrants on the PHECC register with a sexual assault conviction.”
Regulatory Gaps Exposed
Current rules impose no requirement on employers, paramedics, or service providers to notify PHECC of criminal convictions, even for violent or sexual offenses. This loophole raises concerns that additional offenders may still practice undetected. PHECC notifies authorities upon learning of convictions and refuses renewal, effectively barring individuals from work across public, private, voluntary, and commercial sectors.
In a confidential brief to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill last December, PHECC highlighted limitations, including inability to block registrants from self-removing amid complaints and constraints on fitness-to-practice investigations.
Responses from Health Authorities
NAS Director Robert Morton sent a mass email to staff last Friday addressing workforce concerns. He affirmed that Garda vetting occurs regularly, alongside adherence to children-first guidelines and mandatory training. Morton noted that several former staff faced dismissal upon discovery of serious convictions.
A Health Service Executive (HSE) spokeswoman explained that staff interacting with the public undergo re-vetting every three years or upon promotion. The Department of Health expresses satisfaction that no known sexual offenders remain active, deferring to PHECC for register updates.
NAS emphasizes it treats allegations seriously, permanently withdrawing privileges when upheld and notifying regulators accordingly.
Ongoing Reforms and Challenges
PHECC reaffirms its commitment to public protection through pre-hospital care regulation. Collaboration with the Department of Health aims to close legislative gaps enhancing fitness-to-practice powers.
Additional issues persist, such as PHECC’s lack of authorization to oversee a 2019 specialist paramedic division, limiting their advanced medical administration and placing undue burden on NAS oversight. An HSE spokeswoman counters that clinical practices do not always match employment grades, with all paramedics subject to fitness inquiries.
Prior investigations have uncovered sexual harassment claims among female NAS paramedics, particularly in the northeast, underscoring broader workplace challenges.
