Ms A Boyd v Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust — 2024

The claimant, a paramedic employed by the respondent, brought complaints of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and breach of contract. The unfair dismissal complaint was advanced on the basis of constructive dismissal and, alternatively, an alleged dismissal arising from the respondent not allowing her to return to her substantive paramedic role after a secondment.

The Tribunal found that the respondent required the claimant to undertake training before returning to operational paramedic work because it needed to ensure she had the required competence and confidence to work as a fully qualified band 6 paramedic. In relation to the disability discrimination complaints, the Tribunal found that although removal from paramedic work was connected to disability, the later decision about a research secondment was not, and any unfavourable treatment would in any event have been justified by the legitimate aim of patient safety.

For reasonable adjustments, the Tribunal found that the requirement for further training before return to operational paramedic work did not place the claimant at a substantial disadvantage compared with a non-disabled person in the same circumstances. The Tribunal dismissed the claims of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and breach of contract in their entirety.