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Queen's Hospital investigating complaint against 'Covid-denying employee'
Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford - Credit: Archant
Queen’s Hospital is investigating a complaint that one of its frontline workers has been spreading Covid lies and conspiracy theories online.
It is alleged that a female member of staff posted numerous false claims, including that the death rate has been exaggerated and the vaccine is unsafe, in Facebook groups.
In the formal complaint, seen by the Recorder, a concerned member of the public expressed their “horror” that the woman is using her position at Queen’s to support her unfounded claims.
The complainant said: “I was absolutely mortified and gravely concerned to hear of an NHS staff member, who is claiming to be a frontline worker, actively attempting to dissuade members of the public from getting the vaccine.
“[They are] emphasising that they do and will continue to break lockdown restrictions, set up private Facebook groups giving information on vaccines, without any clinical or vaccination knowledge, and worse yet, informing people that the hospital and government are lying about the amount of people dying, using her job role as evidence to support this absurd and quite frankly, moronic claim.”
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Screenshots from the woman’s Facebook account reveal her spreading wild conspiracy theories, including that the government is using the virus to “brainwash” the public.
In one absurd post, she rants: “Confusion exacerbates the fear and makes the sheep desperate for leadership … Our government has gone rogue against the people.”
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Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT), which is responsible for the hospital, first became aware of the allegations on Monday, February 1.
A spokesman for the trust refused to say whether the person behind the posts is indeed a BHRUT employee – but that the matter was now subject to an internal investigation.
He said: “Due to staff confidentiality, we are unable to confirm whether the person attributed to the Facebook posts is a member of BHRUT staff.
“This is an internal matter which is being investigated accordingly.”
It is understood there will be no further comment from BHRUT, which was made aware of the woman’s full name and profile picture, at the conclusion of its investigation.
