Thursday, May 10, 2007

** Former Toronto paramedic sentenced to jail on child molestation charges

** Florida paramedic sued for negligence

** Oxfordshire, UK paramedics concerned for patient care

CANADA NEWS

** A former Toronto EMS paramedic has been sentenced to 18 months in the clink on child molestation charges. The Toronto Sun (Sam Pazzano/May 10) said Dave Doiron, 41, who once headed the EMS union, was given the tag for incidents which occurred between March 1998 and June 2004. The offences involved a girl between 6 and 12 years old. With 11 months served in pre-trial custody and house arrest, Doiron has seven months left to go. His name will also be placed on the sex offenders’ registry and he is prohibited for ten years from attending public places where children are.

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A South Daytona, Florida paramedic is being sued by a woman who says negligence caused her to lose her hand and part of her arm. 13 News (May 10) said Marie Caschetta, 84, launched the suit in relation to a January 28 call in which she hailed help for a stomachache. Caschetta claims the EVAC practitioner injected Phenergen into her artery after her veins rolled. An EVAC spokesman declined comment on the matter.

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Oxfordshire medics say patients would be put at risk if a plan to replace paramedics with emergency care assistants goes forward. That is the word from the BBC (May 10) which quoted UNISON respresentative Adrian Leahy as saying technician skill levels are unacceptably low when compared to advanced practitioners. A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service declined comment.