THE NATIONAL AMBULANCE Service (NAS) has paused a recruitment campaign for paramedic supervisors after receiving anonymous letters raising claims about the way the competition process being run, The Journal has learned.

The NAS had been carrying out a recruitment campaign for the posts earlier this year when management received several letters claiming there were serious issues with the process. 

As a result, management issued a letter to staff regarding protected disclosures and how best to submit them. 

In a letter to staff, seen by this publication, the director of the NAS said management had received “multiple” anonymous complaints in relation to several matters. Other documents seen by this website detail how multiple letters were received in relation to the recruitment process specifically. 

The letter said that by not going through proper protected disclosure channels, “it is challenging to assess on balance, if an anonymous complaint, unlike a protected disclosure, is intended to raise a concern in good faith or is based on vexatious intent”.

The allegations regarding the process included claims of questions being released to some candidates prior to interviews. 

NAS management said in another letter that the “allegations suggest a potential breach of the relevant codes of practice associated with public sector recruitment”.

The HSE confirmed that the recruitment process has been paused while an investigation is carried out. 

A HSE spokesperson said it had received one letter relating to the interview process. However, NAS correspondence seen by this publication states that multiple letters were received.

The HSE spokesperson said in a statement: “In early 2021, the HSE initiated a national recruitment process to fill Paramedic Supervisor vacancies in the National Ambulance Service (NAS).

“The HSE has received an anonymous letter claiming that interview questions were released prior to interviews to some candidates.

“Consequently, the HSE has paused any further progress with this recruitment campaign and an external review is underway to determine if the integrity of the competition has been compromised.

“Any further decisions will be based on the outcome of this external review.”