Thirty NHS workers suspended over obscene e-mail (From The Northern Echo)

Thirty NHS workers suspended over obscene e-mail

12:28pm Tuesday 26th February 2008 in

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NHS staff were suspended after an obscene email was passed around a hospital.

Thirty health workers across Newcastle are on 'gardening leave' while the eight-month long investigation continues.

The case centres on the distribution of a pornographic image of an elderly woman.

Four people have already been sacked as a result of the investigation by the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Nurses and ward clerks at hospitals across the city are on 'gardening leave' after the image, taken from an X-rated foreign website, was distributed to staff at the Freeman Hospital.

It is believed staff working on a ward for elderly patients at the Freeman had been looking at the picture.

The investigation originally centred on the Freeman, but the offensive email was forwarded to workers at other hospitals.

The trust manages the Newcastle General, Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary hospitals.

Ian Daley, regional officer for public sector Unison, said: "The emails were offensive and inappropriate in a hospital environment.

"We certainly do not condone the sending of offensive emails, especially as they could have been witnessed by both patients and visitors to the hospital.

"Some of the staff suspended are Unison members, but by no means all. People who forwarded on the emails have been suspended.

"Anybody who received one and simply deleted it would not face disciplinary action."

Last year, four healthcare workers were sacked when the email first surfaced.

Originally nine members of staff were suspended but more staff have been suspended from the Newcastle General, the RVI and Freeman hospitals as the investigation continued.

Mr Daley said he believed around 30 workers had been suspended in total.

Nobody from the trust was available to comment.

A spokeswoman has said previously: "The trust has a zero-tolerance policy in relation to obscene material.

"The investigation is continuing and further disciplinary action does appear to be an inevitable consequence."