A paramedic with the London Ambulance Service has been removed from the medical register after a tribunal found her guilty of sustained 'deliberate dishonesty', which began with faking a family emergency to avoid work.
The Facebook Posts That Exposed the Lie
In November 2022, Natalie Twomey emailed her employers claiming she needed to rush to Norfolk because her sister, who she said was previously in intensive care, had 'deteriorated'. She stated this was why she had to phone in sick. However, her story quickly unravelled when the ambulance service discovered Facebook posts from her sister's account. These posts showed the sister at home, actively putting up Christmas decorations, contradicting the claim of a serious hospitalisation.
Further evidence emerged when Ms Twomey's own social media activity was examined. She had shared a memory of a holiday in Mexico with the caption '8 days till this paradise again.' When confronted about the discrepancies in April 2023, she maintained her sister had been in an ICU and suggested her brother-in-law may have shared the festive posts. The subsequent investigation determined she was aware her sister was not ill at the time.
A Pattern of Unprofessional Conduct
The dishonesty surrounding the sick leave was not an isolated incident. On separate occasions, Ms Twomey attended work smelling of alcohol, which led to her being removed from front-line duties. She was ultimately dismissed in November 2023, though she later claimed in interviews that she had resigned and had never faced a disciplinary hearing.
Her professional troubles continued into 2024. In April, she was arrested and disqualified from driving for drink driving. Crucially, when renewing her registration with the Health & Care Professional Tribunal Service (HCPTS), she failed to disclose the practice restrictions placed on her, offering a separate explanation about a back and knee injury.
Tribunal's Final Verdict and Striking Off
The case was brought before an HCPTS tribunal, which concluded that Ms Twomey's actions severely undermined public trust. The panel identified ten individual findings of dishonesty involving two employers and the regulator, spanning from 28 November 2022 to 20 March 2024.
The hearing stated: 'A finding of dishonesty is a serious finding that undermines public confidence in her and the profession. It was deliberate dishonesty, for personal gain, sustained over a period of time.' The panel noted her attitude was 'long-standing and deep-seated'.
In its ruling, the tribunal emphasised that a Striking Off Order was the only appropriate sanction. 'The imposition of a Striking Off Order sends a clear message to [Ms Twomey] and to other members of the profession that such dishonesty and such criminal behaviour is entirely unacceptable,' the conclusion read. Natalie Twomey's name has now been removed from the medical register, barring her from practising.
