Paramedic who left disabled patient 'squealing' with pain struck off

Gabor Tekeres, who worked for the North West Ambulance Service between January 2015 and February 2017, was recruited in Hungary before coming over to work in the UK.

A tribunal led by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service, heard how the Band 5 paramedic made a string of over errors over a 20-month period.

Tekeres was accused of 21 failings, 17 of which were found proved during the hearing.

One of the incidents, recalled by a colleague referred to as “BT”, left a “severly disabled” patient “squealing” with pain.

Documents released following the hearing, read: “BT told the panel how she had attended a severely disabled patient’s (Patient D) home on either that or the following day in order to transport her to hospital.

“She recalled that Patient D was lying on her bed in considerable pain and her son and another man were present.

“She told the Panel that she had placed the stretcher next to the bed so that they could both move Patient D.

“However, before they could do this, the Registrant “grabbed hold of the bed sheet the patient was lying on and, in one abrupt movement, pulled the sheet so the patient was pulled on to the stretcher”.

“She described him as using a “quick whip like motion”. He had not even taken the time to check that the stretcher had been secured.

“Had it not been, Patient D could have fallen to the floor.

“BT told the Panel that this incorrect technique and sudden, unexpected movement exacerbated the pain that Patient D was already suffering. She described how Patient D “squealed” in pain.”

The same colleague also described another incident at an unnamed care home, in which Tekeres moved a patient onto a stretcher by grabbing his collar and trouser waistband.

She described how she and three members of the care home were “shocked” by the way he handled the patient - who was being taken to hospital. One of them commented, “that needs sorting out”.

In another worrying incident, the panel heard how Tekeres inserted an intravenous cannula that had been in his mouth.

The paramedic also failed to use gloves for the procedure. Both of these things increased the risk of spreading infection to the patient.

Following the hearing, the HCPTS concluded that Tekeres should be struck off because he had demonstrated a “lack of competence” and “misconduct” throughout his employment.

The panel said:

His misconduct persisted over a considerable period of time

He ignored advice and warnings

He caused harm to patients and put others at unnecessary risk

He was uncaring and insensitive to vulnerable patients

He demonstrated a persistent resistance to observing proper standards when he thought he could escape notice

Tekeres has since returned to Hungary.