Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
Paramedic suspended for 12 months over photographs and inappropriate comments
The panel found serious misconduct and incomplete remediation, but did not find sexual motivation. It imposed a 12-month suspension and a separate interim order covering the appeal period.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 23 July 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026
Suspension (suspended from practice) — 1 year
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The regulator imposed a fixed-term suspension in this decision. Its start date, appeal provisions and any later review affect whether it is currently in force. Check the official register for the practitioner's current status.
Concerning Benjamin Shepherd, paramedic (Health and Care Professions Council PA45801).
Decision date: 23 July 2026 · Hearing started 20 July 2026 and ended 23 July 2026
In plain English
The panel suspended paramedic Benjamin Shepherd for 12 months after finding serious misconduct involving explicit photographs and inappropriate comments. Some conduct was sexual in nature, but sexual motivation was not proved. Several allegations were discontinued, and a proved offensive gesture was not serious misconduct. The panel recognised developing insight and some remediation, and considered striking off disproportionate. A separate interim suspension covers the appeal period before the substantive order takes effect.
Charges
Allegations concerned showing explicit photographs to colleagues without consent, sexual and inappropriate comments towards colleagues, a patient's wife and a carer, an offensive gesture towards a patient, and alleged sexual motivation.
Findings
At the reconvened final hearing, the panel found serious misconduct in showing explicit photographs to two junior colleagues without consent and in inappropriate comments, some sexual in nature. Allegations concerning Colleague D and certain associated particulars were discontinued, and references to Colleague H removed. Sexual motivation was not proved. The offensive gesture towards a patient was proved but did not amount to serious professional misconduct. The panel found impairment on personal and public grounds, with developing but incomplete insight and remediation. There were no clinical competence concerns. It considered striking off disproportionate, noting engagement, apology, some remediation, no sexual touching and no finding of sexual motivation. It imposed 12 months' suspension from the order's operative date, with a separate interim suspension of up to 18 months covering the appeal period.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
a) The Registrant has apologised and demonstrated some insight, remorse and remediation.
Aggravating factors
a) Breaches of trust involving vulnerable service users and junior colleagues; b) A pattern of unacceptable behaviour repeated over a period of time; c) Harm caused to colleagues and potential service user harm.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Health and Care Professions Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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