OPINION: "When I needed the kindness and understanding of strangers it was given"

Monday 20 January 2025

OPINION: "When I needed the kindness and understanding of strangers it was given"

Monday 20 January 2025

One of the paramedics convicted of failing to provide reasonable care to a patient who died has penned an open letter to the people of Jersey following his resignation from the Ambulance Service.

Tom Le Sauteur wrote about the kindness and support he received during what he described as one of the most challenging periods of his life.

He also reflected on the lessons learned and his hopes for the future as he and his family prepare to move forward.

You can read his letter in full here...

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank the people of Jersey for all the support they have shown us this past year. The positive influence of this cannot be overstated.

Before the trial, I had many fears but essentially they came down to three things.

Fear of letting down my teammates, fear of letting down my community and fear that either of these would not be able to see the true motivations of why we were being prosecuted.

Pictured: Paramedics John Sutherland and Tom Le Sauteur leaving the Royal Square after their appeal was dismissed. (Jon Guegan)

My teammates witnessed the trial. They saw all the evidence and could apply this information with their own operational experience. Their verdict was unanimous "not guilty".

I was a public servant and this was something that I took, and still take, very seriously.

I have never considered it to be that I "work for" managers, senior civil servants, political masters or anyone in the establishment. My bosses were the public of Jersey and as such their opinion mattered.

For this reason, we have been totally open and honest throughout. The public has the right to the facts in their entirety without undue delay.

Sadly despite our best efforts, there was a great delay in this case but we have tried our best to get the honest facts to the public.

This has been an uphill struggle and frankly, we are not there yet. It is a duty we are determined to fulfil. Hopefully, we will be allowed to do this through the official channels

While this event has damaged the trust I have in the authorities I want people to know that it has given me a totally new appreciation of human nature and that this is overwhelmingly positive.

When I needed the kindness and understanding of strangers it was given in spades. This small community demonstrated to me that compassion and common sense are not scarce.

It is in staggering abundance in nearly all people. People have been amazingly kind and are under no illusions as to the true nature of how Jersey is currently run.

The practical help has facilitated us to still have a voice and the general support has allowed us to continue with our lives in the knowledge that we are welcomed and appreciated in this place that we and our families call home.

I would also like to mention that our fellow operational staff have been incredible and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us throughout. Even wearing uniform to court to show solidarity in defiance of the threat of disciplinary action against themselves.

It is easy to look at the way the world is presented to us and feel that these qualities are in decline. But I have been shown that this is not the case.

Pictured: "When I needed the kindness and understanding of strangers it was given in spades." (Jon Guegan)

They are as prevalent today as they have ever been. What has changed is how far up our current leadership structure these qualities can be found.

I am now convinced of two things.

1. This community deserves honesty, integrity and humility from its leaders.
2. This is not the current state of affairs

I believe this community deserves a government that doesn't use public money to buy people's silence with "non-disclosure agreements".

I believe this community deserves a government that doesn't syphon off tens of millions of the public's money into private pockets to NOT decide where to put a hospital.

I believe our community deserves high-ranking civil servants who will not threaten government workers for trying to communicate real problems to the public.

I believe our community deserves a police service that has to answer to the IPCC [The Independent Police Complaints Commission] instead of policing themselves.

I believe our community deserves a government that puts the safety of its frontline workers first.

I believe our community deserves a government that acknowledges and tackles problems rather than trying to keep them hidden.

I believe our community deserves a government that with over a decade's warning can make the choice between two tenders in an appropriate time frame.

And I also believe we deserve a government that puts faith in its public and uses referendums in key decisions rather than "public consultations" that achieve nothing more than the illusion that we have been heard.

To trust the people to truly decide how their island is run. They have surely proved themselves capable of this most democratic responsibility.

I'm sure you all have examples you could add to this list.

But do we demand this of our leadership? And do we expect it? If I'm honest I don't think we do. We all acknowledge the shortcomings.

We are all aware and we have looked at our friends and family and with a wry smile and said things like "It's the Jersey Way"(the fact that none of us need explaining what "the Jersey Way" is says a lot).

Pictured: Paramedics and Fire Service crews show solidarity outside the Royal Court. (David Ferguson)

We have come to accept what is as best a staggering level of incompetence. Some might have the view that it is an unbelievable level. A view backed up by the fact that nearly all the examples result in public money ending up in private pockets.

But I don't think it has to be this way. It is not inevitable. I think we have a savvy, compassionate and honourable community.

And I think if we started to expect and demand more of those who profess to have our best interests at heart we could change our perception of what the "Jersey way" is to better reflect the character of our island and the people who call it home.

These demands would not be unreasonable. They don't require perfection or genius. They are simply for those at the top to reflect the honour, integrity and courage of those they serve.

But in order for this to be the case we must all be vocal. We must all stand and act. To say what is right. To insist that the government is accountable and explains itself. And if those explanations are just spin we need to show that we can see through them and treat them as such.

We should always bear in mind that whilst it is easy to view these people as having "status" they are merely public servants. Any status they have is only by virtue of the fact that we have bestowed it upon them.

If they are acting in a manner that the public disagrees with then they are no longer serving the public but using their office as a guise to serve themselves.

After considerable thought, we have decided to leave the ambulance service. A service that my family have been connected to for my entire life.

A service that John has served for 37 years. A service that we both left the Armed Forces to join. And sadly a service that has been let down by those whose responsibility it is to lead it.

Pictured: Protestors supporting the paramedics. (Rob Currie)

This was not an easy decision but due to the amazing support we have received I think it is only fair that we explain our reasons why

Recent communications to staff have made it apparent that in exchange for employment, we are expected to lose our voice. My voice is not, or will ever be, owned by an employer

Also, I do not personally feel that we have been treated well by our management. This is my view and I stand by it. I do not think it is acceptable and by returning to work I feel I would be giving them permission to continue to treat me and my friends in this way. They don't have this permission

I do not know what the future holds at this point but my family and I are facing it full of hope. That is down to you and it is a debt I do not think I will ever be able to fully repay.

I would like to continue to be an active and positive part of this community and whatever path I am on I will always try my best to remember the kindness of strangers and the debt I owe to you all.

When the government was asked to respond to Le Sauteur’s comments, the following statement was provided: “Mr Sutherland and Mr Le Sauteur’s employment with the States Employment Board has ended following their respective convictions pursuant to Articles 4 and 21 of the Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989 and their unsuccessful appeals.

"The Inquest in relation to the death of Mr Irvine remains live, and accordingly, the States Employment Board will be making no further comment”.

Have you heard about... #truecrime?

Friday 03 January 2025

« Return to Opinion

Comments

Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.