RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients

[Jimmy-J]

A hospital has apologised after an RAF sergeant was asked to move out of sight of other patients in case his uniform caused offence.
Aircraft engineer Mark Prendeville was relocated twice by hospital staff who said his uniform “might upset people” because “we have all kinds of different cultures coming in”.

Link

[TheDaddy]

What cultures do they mean specifically that would be upset?

[denphone]

Pathetic.

[Osem]

IMHO if the presence of someone who serves our country and is in uniform is 'upsetting' then it's those who're being 'upset' who have the problem. Maybe they ought to moved out of harm's way and if they don't feel comfortable they have the option of going elsewhere so as not to be so troubled...

[Gary L]

They should reverse it.
pretend he's a different culture person in whatever clothes he's wearing and ask him to go and stand somewhere where nobody can see him. because he might offend somebody.

or better still he should ask that the different culture person who is offended by him is moved somewhere else so he doesn't have to look at him, her or them.

this country is pathetic. we're all mad. we're a laughing stock. we let people walk all over us. we get used for our money. we're too PC. we are weak.

[Taf]

I think serving military, in fact ex-military, should not have to queue but be offered priority treatment.

From the original link

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 hospital trust is "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,” the spokesman added.

[nomadking]

He was moved on TWICE by TWO different people, He was moved "out of sight" of others rather than to a more advantageous or comfortable location.

He told The Telegraph: “One of the staff asked him if he would stand around the corner so he wouldn’t be seen by other people in case it may upset them because he was in uniform.
“He went round the corner not to make a fuss but then another member of staff asked him to move again in case anyone saw him because he was in uniform.”

He wasn't wearing a more official looking type of uniform, so are non-military personnel wearing camouflage items or a "Help for Heroes" T-shirt also be hidden from view?

He was wearing a camouflage combat uniform.

Can we all now object to the wearing of certain "uniforms", or do only the views of certain groups count?

[Osem]

The article mentions a previous altercation but so what? Was the forces member involved on that occasion the cause of the incident? Either way should it affect the way hospital staff deal with forces personnel? Would the staff ask a black man, a veiled muslim woman or breastfeeding mum to move had there been a previous altercation with someone or other or would they deal with those who have the big issue?

I think this incident has probably been blown out of proportion and there may well have been good intent at the heart of it but we cannot allow people who're 'offended' to determine decision making in this way. On this occasion there was no incident, just staff who felt, for one reason or another, that doing this might prevent an something happening. Maybe that says something about them and their perceptions, maybe not...

[Hom3r]

IMHO if you are offended by a British serviceman in uniform in a British hospital then I have this to say. (Swear mode off)

1) Go to another hospital

2) Go to the airport/port and leave or emigrate, and sod off to some country that gives a flying fig about your offense

(Swear mode on)

[Gary L]

The trouble with being offended by everything is that you get away with a lot of things because people eventually get too scared to question your behaviour incase you are offended.

obviously if you're not of that different culture then they don't care whether you're offended.

but seriously. if you are offended by the British. then as recommended.. go somewhere else.

[alanbjames]

why not just put a pair of PJs on him hence no longer in uniform.

[JoelTheSuperior]

In fairness the article states that he was wearing a camouflage combat uniform. Now, I think that treating him should take much higher priority over causing a fuss over what he's wearing, but I can imagine how people might be a bit startled if they saw that, especially if they've come from somewhere where they say, may have a bit of a negative association with that clothing.

With that said, I try to ignore these news stories, simply because I get the feeling that they're more or less designed to make people angry above all else.

[Osem]

The guy was in hospital having been injured, not on a drunken night out. Why would anyone feel threatened or upset by that and if they are maybe it'd be fairer to ask them to go and sit somewhere else just in case other things are upsetting too. Would it be fair for someone who's had a bad time at the hands of the police, for example, to be able to determine how other police officers in uniform are dealt with simply because they feel uncomfortable or even hostile towards them?

In Israel, a guy came in uniform with his gun for lunch (IDF guys always have their guns with them). The Hotel asked him to take it out of sight and change his clothes....

Do surgeons go around in their overalls? lifeguards in their swimsuits? both save lives.... (for a minute, picture Pamela Anderson walking around in a hospital.)

I live near Aldershot, the military doctors do not wear uniforms and the soldiers do not wear uniform at the hospital; Frimley Park and Aldershot is shared with civilians. But injured soldiers in Frimley Park A&E, of course come in uniform and there is no problem. Sandhurst military personnel is not allowed in pubs/restaurants in uniform.

Saying that, this guy, Mark Prendeville, was injured at the training field, he had to be there in uniform, as the priority was to treat his burns and definitely not to change his clothes! The hospital staff was out of order, his burns was the priority.

It's a matter of etiquette/protocol, nothing to do with military haters!