Nurses want right to halt treatment of Hannibal

NURSES plan to appeal to the European courts for the right not to treat notorious patient Donald Gibson in a legal first.

They say they are sick of being subjected to a torrent of abuse as they continue to give him life-saving kidney dialysis treatment.

It follows Gibson, dubbed Hannibal by staff because of his aggressive behaviour, walking free from court after sending an allegedly threatening letter to a security guard.

As reported in the News on Saturday, the Court of Session found Gibson had attempted to scrawl out the words: "If you turn a blind eye to this then I say to you it's people like you that turn people into serial killers." Health chiefs had claimed that the words were still clearly legible.

Unison, the public sector union, now plans to take his case – and a similar one from the London area – to the European courts to try and set a precedent.

Lawyers will press judges to decide which should come first, Gibson's right to life or NHS Lothian staff's right to work without the fear of intimidation that he creates.

Tom Waterson, chairman of public sector union Unison's Scottish Health Committee, said: "It seems the courts are falling over backwards to assist Donald Gibson in his campaign to threaten, abuse, and physically and verbally assault our staff. We are pursuing it through our lawyers and plan to take it to the European courts."

It follows the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman asking health chiefs to provide a television for Gibson after he complained he needed some distraction from his fear of needles, at the end of last year.

Hospital bosses were also ordered to tell nurses to stop staring at Gibson and to put up a curtain to prevent other patients looking at him.

Mr Waterson said: "We are very unhappy. We feel we have been let down by the establishment. It is completely unacceptable.

"For people to still face abuse and intimidation when they are trying to save lives is appalling. We will not stand by and let our staff be abused in this manner."

Unison has argued previously that Gibson should not receive treatment if he continues to threaten staff.

Mick McGahey, Unison branch secretary for the Lothian University Hospitals Division, said: "This man should not be receiving treatment at all. He has threatened our members with physical violence and caused so much heartache and stress."

An NHS Lothian spokesman said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on an individual case.

However, Shona Robison, now Minister for Public Health, warned Gibson last year, saying: "If someone needs treatment that's not life-threatening they should demonstrate they can behave in an appropriate manner to deserve care."