Ambulance staff 'consider going after court case'

Front-line staff in Jersey are considering leaving the health service after two ambulance workers were found guilty of failing to care properly for a patient who died, union leaders say.

It follows ambulance members of the union Unite unanimously supporting a vote of no confidence in senior management.

The service has been the focus of attention this week after the two ambulance workers were given a conditional discharge by the Royal Court after being found guilty of neglect.

Ambulance service bosses said they were to meet union representatives "to discuss the matter further".

Frazer Irvine, 39, died on 18 March, 2022, after he called 999 and had a cardiac arrest while ambulance workers John Sutherland, 61, and Tom Le Sauteur, 36, were at his home in Trinity.

The pair were found guilty last month of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of Mr Irvine who died after taking an overdose.

James Turner, from Unite, said his members' unhappiness with management had been building for some time, but the court case had had a "massive impact".

"The feeling and morale is so low - there's a lot of tears and emotions," he said.

"I was in court when the decision was made to find them guilty and you could see the emotion in the room.

"This has a massive impact on friends and colleagues of those individuals."

In a statement, the States Employment Board said: "The employer is aware that the unions have balloted some of their members and are meeting with Unite's representatives to discuss the matter further.

"We are unable to provide any further comment, currently."

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