A FORMER Worcestershire paramedic who won a £56,000 out of court settlement for unfair dismissal said she was "devastated" at the way she was treated.

Karen Faulkner slammed Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust, claiming they forced her out of her job.

The 43-year-old mother-of-two had been battling the Trust since 1998, when she brought a claim against it for sex discrimination.

The claim was settled out of court in August last year, without admission of liability by the Trust. Mrs Faulkner has been forbidden to talk about this case.

Both sides agreed that Mrs Faulkner would accept a permanent position as a paramedic at Kidderminster Ambulance Station when she recovered from stress which had been caused by the legal action.

But when she met her line manager last August, he told her he was unaware of any position available for her.

Mrs Faulkner, of Ludgate Avenue, Kidderminster, resigned as a result of this breach of the settlement agreement and claimed unfair dismissal and breach of contract.

The matter was settled on Friday, September 20, this year, three days before an employment tribunal was due to start.

"The ambulance service blatantly broke the compromise agreement even before the ink had time to dry," said Mrs Faulkner, who is now training to be a midwife.

"I'm devastated about it. I was good at my job and I loved it. They robbed me of doing something I really enjoyed."

Mark Smith, national chairman of the Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel (APAP), said he was pleased that Mrs Faulkner had won the settlement, but said there were no winners in the matter.

"It's not really much when someone has lost not just their job but their career," he said.

"The whole situation is lamentable. It could have been avoided with good communication.

"It's a crying shame. Everyone has ended up with egg on their faces - the employer, the staff and the public."

The Trust's director of clinical services, Brian Chambers, confirmed there had been an out-of-court settlement.

"It was an unfortunate set of circumstances from which the Trust has learnt a great deal," he said.

"We greatly regret Karen Faulkner's resignation."