Loyalists accused of attacking hospital staff
Police in Belfast were today studying a security tape of an incident in the city’s Royal Victoria Hospital after loyalist paramilitaries were accused of attacking and abusing staff.
The tape showed an incident in the hospital casualty department in which a number of hospital staff were injured by people who claimed to be members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force.
The hospital said staff were physically assaulted, had their lives threatened and were spat upon.
Hospital medical director, Dr Ian Carson condemned the attacks and threats as deplorable.
He said: ‘‘Our personnel are drawn from all sections of the community and they provide vital services for that community.
‘‘It is intolerable that people purporting to have interests in patients receiving crucial care should subject staff to physical and verbal abuse and threaten their lives.’’
Dr Carson added: ‘‘This disgraceful behaviour must stop immediately and be condemned by all, especially those who would have influence in the group to which these people claim to belong.’’
The RUC confirmed it was carrying out an investigation in the trouble in the hospital which look place early on Saturday morning.
