Hospital staff axed in porn probe

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Hospital bosses have taken action against more than 50 hospital workers over the sending of an obscene e-mail.

A total of 13 employees at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been sacked, 28 have been disciplined and 10 still face action.

It follows an eight-month probe after a pornographic image of an elderly woman from an x-rated website was sent to staff at the city's Freeman Hospital.

Four workers were sacked last September when the e-mail surfaced.

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

'Zero tolerance'

But the investigation has now spread to other hospitals in the city after staff forwarded the offensive e-mail.

A Trust spokeswoman said: "The offensive material in question was of a nature that we are not prepared to tolerate and hence exercise zero tolerance in this respect.

"We have investigated 51 cases and dismissed 13 members of staff with a further 28 being the subject of disciplinary action.

"Of these 28 there are 10 cases outstanding which have yet to be heard in accordance with our policy and practice/code of conduct."

Ian Daley, regional officer for public sector union Unison, said: "We are very concerned that staff are forwarding inappropriate e-mail attachments.

"As a union we do represent staff that have got themselves into trouble and it has taken up a huge amount of time and energy in the Newcastle Trust. Clearly we cannot condone this behaviour."