Paramedic Samantha-Joy Jones lied about trying to save toddler

The inquiry heard Samantha-Joy Jones worked as a "bank paramedic" for South Western Ambulance Service between March 2016 and August 2017

A paramedic who falsely claimed she tried to resuscitate a toddler killed in a road accident has been struck off.

A hearing of the Health and Care Professions Council heard Samantha-Joy Jones "tearfully" told colleagues she attempted to save the infant.

But the tribunal was told she had actually treated the girl's mother who was injured and taken to hospital.

The panel determined that the "only proportionate and sufficient sanction is that of a Striking Off Order".

The HCPTS ruling said: "The registrant [Ms Jones] had attended a road traffic accident in Avonmouth, near Bristol, on 28 April, 2015, where one of a pair of twins travelling with their mother had died in a collision with a minibus.

A senior officer had later passed on thanks within the service to Ms Jones "for attending to the mother".

'Acts of dishonesty'

The ruling said Ms Jones made the false claims "in order to enhance her prospects of gaining employment or to increase her status and reputation".

The hearing in London was told Ms Jones worked for Bristol Ambulance Service which provided agency staff for South Western Ambulance Service.

Members were told she gave inaccurate information about her previous clinical experience and wore a badge on her uniform describing herself as a critical care paramedic (CCP), which indicates she is more skilled than she was.

The inquiry was told by exaggerating her qualifications and skills, her "dishonest" actions had the potential to cause harm to the public.

In reaching its decision the panel said there had been a number of "serious acts of dishonesty" which had occurred on a number of occasions over several years despite warnings from her employers.