An ambulance worker has won a legal claim against the NHS and is set to receive a compensation of £14,000 after being unfairly dismissed. The worker, Paula Smith, was terminated from her job following an incident where her wife attacked their supervisor with a hammer. Despite being cleared of any involvement in the attack, Paula was let go by the NHS trust she worked for.
Paula, a 56-year-old Ambulance Care Assistant at the North West Ambulance Service Trust in Oldham, had worked in patient transport for 26 years. She and her wife, who also worked in patient transport, had raised grievances against their supervisor, Michala Morton, over alleged issues with their work schedules.
The tribunal revealed that Paula had no part in the assault on Michala Morton, as she was unaware of her wife’s actions until after the incident occurred. Paula was briefly arrested due to allegations of harassment and threats related to the attack but was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the police.
Despite her innocence, the NHS suspended Paula and later dismissed her from her position. The decision to terminate her employment was based on her association with the incident involving her wife, leading to a lack of trust in her ability to continue working within the organization.
Paula appealed against her dismissal, but the appeal was denied. Her wife, Stacey Smith, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The tribunal concluded that Paula’s dismissal was unjustified, given her lack of involvement in the criminal act.
The tribunal judge criticized the NHS for dismissing Paula solely based on her marital relationship with the perpetrator, emphasizing that Paula’s dismissal was premature and unjust. The exact amount of compensation for Paula is yet to be determined.
