London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

NHS staff called 'murderers' describe 'mentally exhausting' online abuse

NHS staff called 'murderers' describe 'mentally exhausting' online abuse

Doctors said they have been called ‘devil’, ‘Satan’, ‘a shill of the Government’ and a ‘prostitute for Big Pharma’.

Medical professionals revealed the online attacks they have suffered through while working on the frontlines of a pandemic that had 31,670 coronavirus patients in hospital as of February 2.

Doctors told Channel 4 News that people had called them names including a ‘devil’, ‘Satan’, ‘a shill of the Government’ and a ‘prostitute for Big Pharma’.

Intensive care consultant Dr Matt Morgan, who has been called a ‘piece of sh*t’, said his colleagues ‘across intensive care in South Wales, have been sent death threats of physical violence.’

Dr Ami Jones, also an intensive care consultant, said her nurses have been ‘absolutely devastated’ by the online abuse.

She told the presenter that nurses tell her: ‘“People think we’re lying. People think I’m coming to work and lying about what I do”.

‘They couldn’t believe that they’re breaking their back and, you know, killing themselves to try and keep these patients going and that people are turning around and saying that we’re lying and none of that’s happening and that Covid doesn’t exist.’


Dr Clare Davies said NHS staff ‘don’t want to be called “heroes” they just do not want to be called “murderers or prostitutes”.’

She said: ‘Instead now of being heroes and being clapped we are now being told that we are killers, we are liars, we are frauds.

‘We just want to be treated with civility and treated as people that are doing our job, daily, under pressure.’

Emergency medicine consultant, Dr Farbod Babolhaveji, said that although medical staff could just stay away from social media he thinks they have a ‘responsibility as health care workers’ to inform the public.

‘We don’t get paid for doing this. It’s not part of our job. We haven’t had training in doing it. We do it because we think it’s important. We do it because we think it will help patients and families,’ said Dr Matt Morgan.

Dr Farbod Babolhaveji said the abuse is ‘exhausting’

Dr Matt Morgan said himself and colleagues receive death threats

Dr Ami Jones said her nurses hate that people think they are lying


The coronavirus death toll for health care workers has surpassed 600, according to a recent report by the workers’ safety organisation Peoplesafe.

Peoplesafe thinks the ‘higher risk of infection’ that healthcare workers take takes a mental health toll including ‘stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression and insomnia’.

Whilst the service says that ‘abuse is nothing new for NHS staff, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a rise in violence towards healthcare staff’.

Many anti-lockdown protesters and coronavirus skeptics have demonstrated outside hospitals over the last few months.

Deomstrators refused to wear masks and shouted ‘Covid is a hoax’ as stressed medical staff begin and finish their shifts.

One doctor posted about finishing an A&E shift at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital and coming out to one such protest.

Anti-vaccine protestors often demonstrate outside hospitals calling coronavirus a ‘hoax’



Dr Matthew Lee tweeted: ‘Worked the late A&E shift on New Year’s Eve and came out to this.

‘Hundreds of maskless, drunk people in huge groups shouting “Covid is a hoax”, literally outside the building where hundreds are sick and dying.

‘Why do people still not realise the seriousness of this pandemic?’

According to the latest Government figures, 242.8 people per 100,000 have tested positive in the seven-day period ending on January 30.

In the week ending on January 22, 9,052 people died with coronavirus mentioned on their death certificates.

The UK’s total death toll, since the pandemic started, recently surpassed 100,000 as it is now 112, 660 if one measures it by the virus mentioned on a death certificate and 110,250 if one measures it by a death within 28 days of a positive test.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×