Paramedic who told stroke patient 'Jesus isn't coming to help you' and forced her to crawl downstairs with brain bleed is struck off

A paramedic who was found to have made multiple discriminatory and racist remarks to a stroke patient during an emergency response has been formally removed from the profession. Rachel Lemonofides, a British Army reservist holding the rank of staff sergeant, was struck off from the North West Ambulance Service following a tribunal ruling. The incident occurred on January 11, 2024, when an ambulance was called to a residence due to a woman experiencing severe chest pain as she prepared for work. The paramedic crew, including Lemonofides, remained at the scene for a total of 104 minutes before transporting the patient to hospital. Upon arrival, the woman was informed she had suffered a cerebral bleed and an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A nurse in the emergency department explained that the patient had a 50 percent chance of surviving an aortic dissection, requiring immediate emergency heart surgery. During the response, Lemonofides reportedly made a series of comments that were deemed discriminatory or racially motivated. These included telling the patient, “Jesus and Jehovah are not coming to help you,” and accusing her of “acting like a baby.” She also refused to assist the patient in walking down the stairs, forcing her to crawl instead. In one instance, she told the woman, “You are acting ridiculous now” and “This is like a child now.” Lemonofides repeatedly criticized the patient’s behavior, describing her actions as “absolutely ridiculous” and even suggesting that she was “acting as though you have had your leg ripped off.” At another point, she told the woman, “I should let your employer know how you are behaving given the fact that you work with vulnerable people.” She also shouted at the patient, telling her to “act your age” and threatening to inform her employer about the situation, stating, “Stop being a baby, many people need this ambulance, we will tell your employer that you are being funny.” Further remarks attributed to Lemonofides included telling the patient, “You are not dying, you have got a bad back” and “You should be assessed by the mental health team.” She also claimed, “You are lying, stop what you are doing, stop being a baby, let's go downstairs.” When the patient requested assistance in standing up or descending the stairs, Lemonofides responded, “I’m not going to help you.” The paramedic also remarked, “You have gone through child labour which is worse than this pain,” and expressed frustration over what she perceived as unnecessary delays. During the incident, Lemonofides reportedly made additional comments to a colleague, including, “I do not think this is medical, she is choosing to do this” and “This is like the worst behaviour I have seen for a very long time.” Lemonofides was dismissed by the North West Ambulance Service in July 2024 after being accused of making dozens of such comments. A tribunal ruled that she had made up to 31 discriminatory or racially motivated remarks toward the patient. The decision marks the end of her career as a paramedic and highlights the serious consequences of unprofessional conduct in emergency care settings.