A paramedic has been permanently struck off the professional register after a dishonest attempt to secure a day off work was spectacularly undone by a Facebook post showing Christmas decorations.
The Lie That Unravelled Online
On 28 November 2022, Natalie Twomey, a paramedic with the London Ambulance Service (LAS), emailed her managers to report she could not attend work. She claimed her sister's health had "deteriorated again" and stated she needed to drive to Norfolk to be with her. However, this story quickly fell apart when LAS staff discovered a post on her sister's Facebook account from that very same day.
The post contained photographs of a house being decorated for Christmas. A professional conduct panel later found these images were "inconsistent" with Ms Twomey's description of her sister being seriously unwell. When confronted in a capability meeting in April 2023, Ms Twomey altered her story, claiming her sister was in an Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) and that her sister's husband was responsible for the Facebook posts.
A Pattern of Dishonest Conduct
The tribunal did not accept her explanation. It concluded she had knowingly provided misleading information to excuse her absence for personal gain. This incident was not an isolated lapse in judgement but part of a wider pattern of misconduct.
In June 2023, she was removed from front-line duties after attending work smelling of alcohol. Later, while renewing her registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), she failed to declare that practice restrictions had been placed on her. She also falsely told the LAS recruitment team that she was on non-patient facing duties due to a back and knee injury, and provided incorrect information about her working hours.
Ms Twomey was dismissed from the LAS at the end of 2023 for capability issues and failure to attend work regularly. Subsequently, during a job interview, she claimed she had never been subject to disciplinary action or dismissal, and that no investigations were outstanding—despite being aware of an ongoing HCPC probe.
Final Offence and Striking Off Order
The most serious incident occurred in April 2024. While working at a police investigation centre, an officer detected alcohol on her breath. Ms Twomey, who had driven to the site, was arrested. She later pleaded guilty at Ipswich Magistrates' Court to driving over the prescribed limit.
Considering the full breadth of her actions, the HCPC Tribunal panel found her conduct was "sufficiently serious to amount to misconduct". They stated the cumulative deceit, including the original lie about her sister's health, demonstrated a profound lack of integrity incompatible with her role.
The panel concluded that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction was a Striking Off Order, permanently removing her name from the HCPC register and ending her career as a paramedic.
