LONDON — A paramedic called Greedy was today found to have eaten from a stick of celery while taking part in efforts to resuscitate a dying patient.
A panel of the Health Profession’s Council (HPC) said Clive Greedy’s behavior amounted to misconduct and that his fitness to practice was impaired.
It said he would be suspended for six months though it stopped short of striking him off the register.
The hearing in London was told that Mr. Greedy was working for the Isle of Wight ambulance service and taking part with another paramedic and an ambulance technician in efforts to save a man who had collapsed in his kitchen on Easter Sunday 2006.
The other paramedic, Darren Claydon, told the hearing Mr. Greedy had said nice celery and appeared to be eating from a stick of it that he was holding.
Mr.Claydon also said that the ambulance technician, John Jones, took a prawn from a colander in the sink and said: Does anybody want a prawn?
The hearing was told that a prawn was placed on the patient’s chin and Mr. Jones said: Let’s see if we can cook this prawn.
Mr. Jones was dismissed following the incident and Mr. Greedy, who was at first given only a formal verbal warning, was also later dismissed.
An appeal and going to an employment tribunal had both proved unsuccessful for him, the hearing was told.
Mr. Greedy, who was not present, and not represented, let the panel know in writing that he denied the allegations.
But Dr Alexander Yule, the panel chairman, said: The panel finds Mr.Claydon to be a credible witness.
We find proved that Mr. Greedy took and ate a stick of celery while the patient was being resuscitated.
It is clearly wrong and insensitive to behave in this way in a patient’s home while on duty.
The panel accepted that the actions alleged in the case caused no damage to the patient who was to die later in hospital and said it was an isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career for Mr. Greedy, so the six month suspension was appropriate.
