A former paramedic who was removed from her profession for dishonesty, including lying about a family emergency to get a day off, has been found working on a National Health Service hospital ward.
From Paramedic to Healthcare Support Worker
Natalie Twomey was struck off the paramedic register by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) after a panel found she had misled her employer, the London Ambulance Service (LAS). The key incident occurred in November 2022, when Ms Twomey emailed managers claiming she could not work because her sister's health had "deteriorated again" and she needed to drive to Norfolk.
Her story unravelled when colleagues discovered photos on her sister's Facebook page from that same day, showing her putting up Christmas decorations. The tribunal panel stated this was "inconsistent" with the serious illness described.
A Pattern of Professional Misconduct
The hearing revealed further instances of misconduct. In June 2023, Ms Twomey was removed from front-line duties after attending work smelling of alcohol. She also dishonestly claimed payment for more hours than she worked in 2023.
Furthermore, when renewing her registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), she failed to disclose that practice restrictions had been placed on her. She also sent an email to the LAS recruitment team falsely claiming she was on non-patient facing duties due to a back and knee injury, rather than the disciplinary action.
Ms Twomey was dismissed from the LAS at the end of 2023 for "capability and failure to attend work regularly." She told the panel she "fully accepted responsibility" and that her behaviour was "out of character."
A New Role in a Different Regulated Field
Despite the striking-off order, which bans her from practising as a paramedic, Ms Twomey is now employed as a healthcare support worker with the NHS Torbay and South Devon Trust and is training to become a nurse.
This career move is possible because nursing is regulated by a separate body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and the HCPTS sanctions do not automatically transfer. The HCPTS ruling noted she had provided information confirming her new career path.
Recently, Ms Twomey posted photographs on social media from her new role, including one on a hospital ward with colleagues in front of a Christmas tree captioned "Merry Xmas," and another showing her working a shift on Christmas Day.
The Mirror has contacted the NHS Torbay and South Devon Trust for comment on her employment.
