Sacked healthcare assistant accused of trying to harm patients is barred from Royal Victoria Hospital
A sacked healthcare assistant accused of trying to seriously harm two patients is to be barred from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, a High Court judge ordered today.
Laura Doody, 42, was prohibited from any return to her former place of work as she was granted bail.
Doody, of Benraw Gardens in the city, is charged with two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
She allegedly shook patients being treated on a spinal injuries ward at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) on May 4 this year. Doody was arrested after police were alerted to the suspected incident.
She has now been dismissed from her employment after disclosing thoughts of harming patients, the court heard.
Police did not oppose her application for bail on agreed terms, which included a ban on being intoxicated in public. A further request was made to have her excluded from the grounds of the RVH.
“She worked in the Royal and would have knowledge of patients there,” a PSNI officer said.
Defence barrister Cameron Faulkner stressed Doody will have assistance from a community support worker.
Granting bail, Madam Justice McBride ordered: “She is not to attend at the Royal Victoria Hospital.”
As part of the conditions she also directed that the accused must contact her GP within 72 hours of release. The judge added: “There may be a mental health issue that needs to be addressed.”