NHS ambulance staff abused after social media posts wrongly claim pigeons to be culled

Staff receive ‘significant abuse via email and phone calls’ after ‘misleading social media posts’

The NHS said there were ‘no plans for any such activity to take place’ at Portsmouth Patient Transport Service base [not pictured] (AFP via Getty Images)

NHS staff were subjected to “significant abuse” from members of the public after social media posts wrongly claimed bosses were planning to cull pigeons nesting at an ambulance facility in Portsmouth.

Social media posts claimed “hundreds” of birds were to be culled and included names and telephone numbers of NHS staff who were alleged to be involved with the action.

The posts, which reportedly included photos of dead pigeons, suggested the birds were due to be culled on Thursday – an allegation South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said was “categorically untrue”.

The service said there were “no plans for any such activity to take place” at Portsmouth Patient Transport Service base, and that a “number of possible measures” were being considered including “humanely trapping (in cages with space, food and water) and releasing the birds with netting then installed as a preventative measure to stop them returning”.

Pigeon nesting at the ambulance site was associated with “significant” health and safety risks posed to staff, SCAS said, “along with the difficulties of ensuring that it does not adversely affect the cleanliness and condition of our patient transport vehicles, though we also take our commitment to the protection of wildlife very seriously too”.

SCAS said in a statement: “Due to a very large increase in the volume of pigeons at the Portsmouth Patient Transport Service base, we have been working closely with experts in bird control and advisory bodies such as Natural England to explore the legal options available to us to reduce the level of fouling and nesting within the station.

“As a result of the misleading social media posts – one of which included a stock image of dead pigeons for “illustration purposes” and is in no way associated with the Trust – our staff have received significant abuse via email and phone calls from members of the public.

“This is unacceptable and such activity online is irresponsible given the increase in unnecessary communication it has caused at a time of significant pressure across the Trust.

“We are also concerned about threats to protest at our site which could impede our ability to carry out our day-to-day activities for patients.”