Hospital apologises after moving RAF man because of uniform
A hospital has apologised after an RAF officer was moved away from other patients because staff said his uniform might cause offence.
Sgt Mark Prendeville was taken to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, after an accident during a training exercise.
Staff moved the 38-year-old twice so other patients could not see him, the Sun reported. The hospital apologised for “any embarrassment” caused.
The aircraft engineer needed medical attention after chemicals from a fire extinguisher got into his eyes while training at RAF Manston, Kent, on Wednesday.
He was moved so others could not see him while he was in the hospital’s accident and emergency department, his family said.
‘Absolutely dumbfounded’
Sgt Prendeville’s father, Jim Prendeville, said he was “disgusted” by the way his son had been treated: “He’s served all over the world, he’s been to Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq you name it, he’s been there.
“He’s a very quiet lad, he wouldn’t kick up a fuss, but afterwards he was absolutely dumbfounded by the way he was treated because he was in uniform.”
Mr Prendeville said he had phoned the hospital to complain.
A spokesman for East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “A member of the armed forces in uniform attended our A&E and was asked by a member of staff if he wanted to sit inside the department rather than the waiting room.
“This employee was acting in good faith because previously, there had been an altercation between a member of the public and a different member of the armed forces in uniform.”
The spokesman also said the hospital trust was “absolutely clear that members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, whether in uniform or not, should not be treated any differently to any other person”.
“We are now making this point clear to all our members of staff and will seek to make sure that this never happens again,” he added.
Foxnwolf comments…
All complaints to;
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital
St Peters Road
Margate
Kent
CT9 4AN
Phone: 01843 225544 (switchboard)
Email: ekh-tr.PALS@nhs.net
