Outrage after Shropshire 999 responder dismissed over shredded patient forms

Effie Cadwallader who has been a first responder in St Martins, near Oswestry, for 11 years, breached the Data Protection Act in destroying the records, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

But the news has prompted outrage in the local community, with a petition launched calling for her to be reinstated.

In a Facebook post, her husband Les said the issue related to two sheets of paper that an ambulance crew had declined to take but that Mrs Cadwallader was not allowed to keep, which she then shredded.

He said: "Left holding two sheets of paper ambulance crews declined to take, but which she is not allowed to keep, she decided to shred them.

"For this, the West Mercia Community Response dismissed her with immediate effect, saying she had put the West Midlands Ambulance Service 'at risk'. She received neither a warning nor any thanks for her many years of volunteering. She is trying to get the dismissal reversed, but for the time being at least the red suits will have to be put into cold storage."

Pete Faulks, one of the partners at Stans Superstore, has called the action of the ambulance service 'disgusting'.

He said: "To think that for the hours, compassion and professionalism Effie has given to the ambulance service and the local community, this is the thanks she gets. It's a total disgrace.

"Effie is a well-respected member of the community, known by all and always seen in her red uniform. We at Stans knew her well, for when she attended to our customers and staff over the years."

Jamie Arrowsmith, a spokesman for WMAS, said the trust had been left with "no option".

"It was with great regret that we terminated Mrs Cadwallader's volunteer agreement as she had been a very dedicated member of the team," he said.

"However, she has admitted destroying patient report forms, a matter that has previously been raised with her as unacceptable practice.

"These legal documents describe the treatment received by a patient and as such could be requested by a coroner or other court.

"By destroying them, Mrs Cadwallader has breached the Data Protection Act. The trust is examining whether this breach needs to reported to the Information Commissioner's Office."