Paramedic struck off over Stafford Hospital Facebook jibes

Julie Bailey was targeted by Roy Guest over her campaigning about Stafford Hospital

A paramedic has been struck off over abusive comments made on Facebook about a Stafford Hospital campaigner, patients and members of the public.

Roy Guest was sacked by West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) in 2013 after posting comments hoping Julie Bailey suffered "a life-threatening illness".

The Health and Care Professions Council (HPC), suspended him for a year, pending a review.

He has now been permanently removed from the register.

The HPC panel heard how Mr Guest, who joined the trust in 1999, had written "several offensive and derogatory" posts which "caused emotional harm" on the "We support the front-line staff at Stafford Hospital" Facebook page.

Mr Guest, who was employed on the clinical support desk at West Midlands Ambulance Service, said he hoped Ms Bailey would suffer "a late-night life-threatening illness".

The HPC panel determined although Mr Guest "had an unblemished record, his repeated failure to engage with the regulatory process" made a striking-off order "the only appropriate and proportionate sanction".