London ambulance worker who knocked patient out his wheelchair then gave him 20 loses unfair dismissal claim

"John La was sacked after accidentally injuring a patient he picked up at Hammersmith Hospital following a dialysis session. Mr La had been wheeling the patient down a pavement when he unintentionally threw him out of his seat, causing wounds including to the man's amputation. Mr La had been wheeling the patient forwards down the pavement rather than backwards, as per his training. The patient said Mr La had asked him not to report the incident and gave him 20 to buy lunch."

"Judge Heather however found the company was right to sack Mr La for gross misconduct, and the specific allegation regarding the money was deemed an attempt to bribe the patient. It was reasoned that even if Mr La had good intentions (such as helping the patient buy lunch or bandages), leaving money with a patient who had just been injured could reasonably be defined as an attempt to bribe to prevent them from reporting the incident"

"Mr La reported the incident a few hours after it occurred but did not mention that he left money with the patient. He was later sacked for gross misconduct over non-compliance with health and safety, bribery and bringing the company into disrepute. Mr La took his former employer Community Ambulance Service Ltd to an employment tribunal last August over his dismissal, arguing it was too harsh."

An ambulance worker accidentally ejected a dialysis patient from his wheelchair while wheeling him along a pavement, causing wounds including to the patient's amputation and possibly a broken finger. The worker gave the patient 20 and asked him not to report the incident, then reported the event hours later without mentioning the money. The employer dismissed the worker for gross misconduct for health-and-safety non-compliance, bribery and bringing the company into disrepute. A judge upheld the dismissal, reasoning that leaving money with an injured patient could reasonably be seen as an attempt to bribe to prevent reporting. The worker had failed a First Aid at Work assessment months earlier.

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