Nazi flags, patient 'sexually assaulted', 'dog poo left at whistleblower's home': Sky News investigates UK's 'worst ambulance service'
A grandmother who claims she was sexually assaulted by a private paramedic on the way to hospital has told Sky News she has been failed by the ambulance service.
Warning: This article contains references to sexual abuse and suicide
It comes as a staff survey of the same service - the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) - heard damning claims of a culture of discrimination and bullying; with allegations of Nazi flags on team video calls and a "boy's club" culture where whistleblowers are punished.
It's been more than a year since a Sky News investigation first heard of a culture of rampant sexual harassment and abuse in ambulance services.
These issues have existed for decades right across the country.
But now the GMB union, which represents ambulance workers, is calling on the chief executive of SECAmb, Simon Weldon, to resign.
It's after a survey of workers heard high instances of inappropriate behaviour and bullying; with a huge fear of speaking out.
It's led the GMB to call for an independent investigation, with one representative branding the ambulance trust "the worst in the country".
The trust told us it is committed to working with unions for positive change.
'I just lay there, terrified'
Juliette, 65, has spent four years trying to get her local ambulance trust to listen. In 2021, she accused a private paramedic working with SECAmb of sexually assaulting her.
Hit by a car while cycling through Surrey, she remembers lying on the stretcher in agony, afraid to move in case she was paralysed. Two paramedics carried out assessments for around 90 minutes before driving her to hospital.
But as soon as she was alone in the back with just one of them, she claims the male paramedic suddenly told her he wanted to "check her hips".
"There was no asking, no consent," she says. And instead of touching her hips, she claims he sexually assaulted her.
"With his left hand, he opened my shorts up - and put his right hand into my cycling shorts.
"Between my legs."
She doesn't want to go into the details, but she says she temporarily froze, powerless and terrified of what he might do. All the while he stared down into her eyes and said nothing.
"I felt so uncomfortable. Shamed, frightened, shocked. I didn't want it to continue."
She said her brain eventually "snapped into place" and she moved her legs. She claims he then removed his hand, and sat behind her head in silence for the rest of the journey.
"I just lay there - terrified," she whispers.
She reported it to the police the following day, but with no CCTV in the ambulance, it was her word against his. With no hope of a successful prosecution, the Met Police dropped the case.
Then she turned her attention to the ambulance service, hopeful it would act.
We've seen correspondence between Juliette's lawyers and SECAmb, which promised to respond to the formal complaint within 25 days. That was repeatedly delayed for several months.
"It was about seven months after the accident. They still hadn't acknowledged anything to do with the sexual assault," she recalls.
"They hadn't answered any questions."
Eventually, they effectively said the assault hadn't happened; claiming that Juliette herself had started to remove her cycling shorts, and that "consent was given" for an examination after she complained of a pain in her leg.
She unequivocally denies every detail of this account.
She says it left her feeling "insulted, betrayed and humiliated".
Why - she asks - would somebody think she had "wasted all this time".
"It's too late for me," she adds, but she is making a stand to help others avoid the same trauma.
Culture of discrimination, harassment and bullying
The GMB represents a large number of the 4,000 SECAmb staff, and recently carried out a survey of their members about their experiences of working life.
From the nearly 900 responses, the union claims they identified a culture of discrimination towards women staff members with sexual harassment, bullying, and a general "boys' club" culture.
Of those surveyed, 25.6% had experienced bullying and 26% had witnessed inappropriate conduct. Racism was witnessed by 16% and sexual harassment by 17.2%.
What's more, 80% didn't feel confident the trust would support them if they flagged concerning behaviour.
'He's always been into Nazi stuff'
Ambulance worker Amelia (not her real name) told Sky News she finally blew the whistle on inappropriate behaviour a few years ago after she joined a video call with colleagues to discuss staffing levels.
One of the managers joined them from home. To Amelia's shock, he appeared on their office screen with a large red, white and black Nazi swastika flag prominently behind him.
1:51
On his desk was a framed photo of Adolf Hitler, next to what she says looked like a young woman at graduation. On the bookshelves sat a red swastika armband and what she was later told was a World War Two grenade.
She was horrified.
"I kept looking around the room thinking, 'why is no one saying anything?'... When I spoke to people afterwards they said: 'Oh yeah… he's always been into Nazi stuff."
At first, she blew the whistle anonymously, but was told she'd have to name herself and put in a formal grievance for it to be investigated.
A report seen by Sky News found the manager's "inappropriate behaviour" should have been challenged, but he still works for SECAmb.
Amelia claims she was isolated by her colleagues, frozen out of meetings and uninvited to team events, saying "it killed my career".
An independent report found there wasn't enough evidence to prove that she had been deliberately excluded.
At one point the police were involved, then days later, she says, "I had bags of dog faeces on my doorstep. That went on for a few days, I felt like a prisoner in my own home".
"Whenever I heard sirens, I got palpitations. I was terrified of who would be in that ambulance."
'They become the problem'
When people like Amelia speak out "they become the problem", says Lib Whitfield, a senior GMB organiser.
Lib started working with the trust eight years ago, after an independent report was published, highlighting behaviours similar to those referenced in this article.
The culture is now the "worst it's ever been", says Lib, and she believes it's the "worst in the country".
"I am receiving calls every single day from members who are suicidal," she adds.
Lib says the union has now written to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, with three demands.
"Firstly, we need a full independent investigation into the culture of SECAmb that results in actions and not just words," she says.
"Secondly, we are calling for the resignation of the current chief executive who has overseen this getting worse.
"And thirdly, we are calling for an interim chief executive to be appointed who is external to SECAmb and who can have external reporting to ensure they are not corrupted."
We took these allegations to the ambulance trust, which wanted to point out that the alleged events happened before Mr Weldon took over as chief executive.
It also said it had issues with the way the anonymous survey was conducted.
A spokesperson said in a statement: "We continue to work hard to make SECAmb a safe organisation for all of our people and are committed to drive real change.
"The historic cases highlighted were thoroughly investigated, including through independent external reviews, and we firmly believe these cases do not reflect the views of the majority of our people on how it feels to work at SECAmb currently.
"We continue to engage openly with the whole trust about the further improvements we want to make and about the changes needed for the ambulance sector as whole.
"We remain absolutely committed to working with our unions to achieve this, although this will only happen with constructive collaboration on all sides."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting did not respond to our request for an interview, but in a statement a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "This is an extremely concerning report and we are looking closely at it. Sexual harassment or abuse within the NHS is completely unacceptable and must be dealt with appropriately."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
'Don't kill the ill' vs 'What a relief': Two terminally ill people on the assisted dying vote
Over the past year, Sky News has been following the journeys of two people who are terminally ill and on opposite sides of the assisted dying debate. Philip, a Christian pastor, views it as suicide and says supporters of the bill need more faith. Clare, a former counsellor, thinks it should be a personal choice, which for her could offer a good death. Philip died two days before Friday's historic vote, which saw MPs vote in favour of assisted dying. "Kill the bill, don't kill the ill," he told Sky News days before he died. Philip said better palliative care can make all the difference. "I still believe it's because of money. It would save millions and millions if they bump off people like me and Clare and others." Philip was resting in a bed in his living room when we spoke to him. Doctors had told him he had just days left. He was struggling to eat and experiencing hallucinations. "Just now, I went to kiss [my wife] Pauline and she's not there." He pointed to a corner of a biscuit he'd been eating over the last three days that's "not even as big as my thumb". "That's the maximum amount of food I can eat because I'm blocked with cancer." "Logically, I should be screaming and ranting and shouting. But I've been organising things like the funeral," he said, explaining that his belief in Jesus means he's at peace with death, however it comes. At times he cries and very often, he winces in pain. Asked what it would mean if the vote was passed, Philip said it would be "a terrible step downwards". Assisted dying would desensitise the British public to death, he explained. "I personally am totally against it, because you're missing out on what God's planned for you. "Because even now, he knows what's going to happen in me, he knows what's going to happen in the other people." He added: "You'll miss the support of people who love you. Because there are people who love you. If you just reach out to them." Philip died on Wednesday morning, two days before the bill's third reading and ascension to the House of Lords. Clare is sitting in her friend's garden in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, surrounded by nature and absorbing the news that the vote has passed. She tells Sky News: "Oh what a relief! Thank goodness. Thank you to all those people who were brave." Clare has breast cancer which has spread to her bones. Her doctors say her lungs have hardened, making it more difficult for her to breathe. "I'm breathless all the time especially if I'm talking. I can't walk very far without being breathless. Now my heart has to work very, very hard to keep my oxygen levels up." Clare has supported the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill from its inception and calls it a "difficult subject". "People are very fearful," she says, before acknowledging that concerns remain for vulnerable people at risk of coercion. "Lots of people have been in controlling relationships, and I really understand how that works. "I've got daughters and I can understand situations where people are thinking, 'oh, I don't want to be a burden on somebody else' and all of that. But I think it's [worth] remembering that this is one choice out of many." Clare is aware it is unlikely the law will change before she dies. "It won't for [be there] me and it hasn't come in time for lots of people, has it?" she says. "All the people that have gone before that would've liked this choice to avoid suffering and indignity." Clare turns 60 this year and is marking her birthday with 60 memorable days. "I'm enjoying life," she says with a big smile. "I don't want to die, but we all have to go."
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Assisted dying bill: How both sides of debate reacted to historic vote
People on both sides of the assisted dying debate have told Sky News how they feel about the outcome of today's vote – and while some are popping open champagne, others are "incredibly disappointed". More than 300 MPs this afternoon backed a bill that gives people in England and Wales who have less than six months to live the right to apply for an assisted death. Each request will be evaluated by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. Today's historic vote means the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before becoming law. Following the landmark vote, individuals for and against it have shared their feelings on the result. Frank Tate-Sutton - For 6:04 Frank Tate-Sutton is terminally ill and told Sky News she's relieved the bill has passed, even though the law won't be changed in time for her. "These are happy tears," she said. "I am emotional. It's a very difficult subject for everybody." Ms Tate-Sutton said her quality of life is "very important - and I'm losing it". "I don't want to die without dignity, without it being my choice, without my family knowing that this is what I want," she continued. "As much as they [my family] want me alive, do they want to see me lying in my living room in a hospital bed, taking all these drugs, not being able to talk, not being able to control my bodily functions? "That is not a life, for me - living on all the medications and not being able to exist without that… the side effects and everything." Mike Smith - Against 5:20 Mike Smith is a spokesperson for the disability rights group Not Dead Yet - and he has been left "incredibly disappointed" by the outcome of the vote. "This particular bill had so many failings in the way safeguards are constructed and the significant scope for coercion, whether it's overt or subliminal," he said. Mr Smith says he fears some people will "end up ending their lives earlier than they should do or want to". "There are so many disabled people around the country that have told us they're absolutely scared." "I think it's this inherent fear people have about being disabled that drives this very emotional response on this really complex topic," he explained. "What we know is, with good palliative care, social care, access to housing and an income, many disabled people ... can lead amazing lives." 6:48 Rebecca Wilcox and her TV presenter mother Dame Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, have long been campaigning for a change to the UK's law on assisted dying. Speaking from Parliament Square as fellow supporters of the bill popped champagne behind her, Ms Wilcox described today's vote as "an extraordinary moment". "It means so much to me," she said. "I spoke to mum and her one word to describe it was 'wow'. "She didn't think she was going to live to see the debate, let alone a conclusion that went our way." In response to concerns about safeguarding, she said it will "bring in layer upon layer of safeguards". "We're going to have scrutiny upon scrutiny for every case and at the moment, there is no scrutiny," she said. "Coercion could be happening as we speak. "There is now protection for vulnerable people, by having this bill passed." Dr Gordon Macdonald - Against Dr Macdonald said the bill passing with a majority of 23 - less than half what its second reading achieved - is proof that "the more people have thought about this issue, the more they've had doubts". The doctor, who is the CEO of anti-euthanasia organisation Care not Killing, said: "We will see what happens when it gets to the [House of] Lords, the Lords will hopefully give it more rigorous scrutiny than happened in the Commons". His biggest concern is "for people who are vulnerable, who will feel pressure to end their lives". "That might come from external forces, but it's more likely to just be internalised pressure," Dr Macdonald said. "They'll feel they're a burden on their family and friends, conscious of the cost of care, and think they should do the decent thing, as they would see it in that thinking." It's "of course a terrible message for society to send out to people," he said.
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Assisted dying bill: People on both sides of the debate react to historic vote
People on both sides of the assisted dying debate have told Sky News how they feel about the outcome of today's vote – and while some are popping open champagne, others are "incredibly disappointed". More than 300 MPs this afternoon backed a bill that gives people in England and Wales who have less than six months to live the right to apply for an assisted death. Each request will be evaluated by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. Today's historic vote means the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before becoming law. Following the landmark vote, individuals for and against it have shared their feelings on the result. Frank Tate-Sutton - For 6:04 Frank Tate-Sutton is terminally ill and told Sky News she's relieved the bill has passed, even though the law won't be changed in time for her. "These are happy tears," she said. "I am emotional. It's a very difficult subject for everybody." Ms Tate-Sutton said her quality of life is "very important - and I'm losing it". "I don't want to die without dignity, without it being my choice, without my family knowing that this is what I want," she continued. "As much as they [my family] want me alive, do they want to see me lying in my living room in a hospital bed, taking all these drugs, not being able to talk, not being able to control my bodily functions? "That is not a life, for me - living on all the medications and not being able to exist without that… the side effects and everything." Mike Smith - Against 5:20 Mike Smith is a spokesperson for the disability rights group Not Dead Yet - and he has been left "incredibly disappointed" by the outcome of the vote. "This particular bill had so many failings in the way safeguards are constructed and the significant scope for coercion, whether it's overt or subliminal," he said. Mr Smith says he fears some people will "end up ending their lives earlier than they should do or want to". "There are so many disabled people around the country that have told us they're absolutely scared." "I think it's this inherent fear people have about being disabled that drives this very emotional response on this really complex topic," he explained. "What we know is, with good palliative care, social care, access to housing and an income, many disabled people ... can lead amazing lives." 6:48 Rebecca Wilcox and her TV presenter mother Dame Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, have long been campaigning for a change to the UK's law on assisted dying. Speaking from Parliament Square as fellow supporters of the bill popped champagne behind her, Ms Wilcox described today's vote as "an extraordinary moment". "It means so much to me," she said. "I spoke to mum and her one word to describe it was 'wow'. "She didn't think she was going to live to see the debate, let alone a conclusion that went our way." In response to concerns about safeguarding, she said it will "bring in layer upon layer of safeguards". "We're going to have scrutiny upon scrutiny for every case and at the moment, there is no scrutiny," she said. "Coercion could be happening as we speak. "There is now protection for vulnerable people, by having this bill passed." Dr Gordon Macdonald - Against Dr Macdonald said the bill passing with a majority of 23 - less than half what its second reading achieved - is proof that "the more people have thought about this issue, the more they've had doubts". The doctor, who is the CEO of anti-euthanasia organisation Care not Killing, said: "We will see what happens when it gets to the [House of] Lords, the Lords will hopefully give it more rigorous scrutiny than happened in the Commons". His biggest concern is "for people who are vulnerable, who will feel pressure to end their lives". "That might come from external forces, but it's more likely to just be internalised pressure," Dr Macdonald said. "They'll feel they're a burden on their family and friends, conscious of the cost of care, and think they should do the decent thing, as they would see it in that thinking." It's "of course a terrible message for society to send out to people," he said.
