A RADIOGRAPHER from Northern Ireland who claims she was the victim of political and religious jokes and comments felt she had no alternative but to resign from Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda, an Employment Appeals Tribunal heard.
It was also claimed yesterday that Ms Deborah Lloyd from Comber, Newtownards, Co Down, suffered from stress related illness which was believed to be directly related to her employment.
Her counsel, Mr Alistair Rutherdale, said Ms Lloyd had been constructively dismissed and was seeking compensation.
Mr Tom Mallon, for the hospital, said she was not dismissed but chose to terminate her employment. He stated that allegations of religious or political discrimination were absolutely and utterly without foundation.
Mr Rutherdale said Ms Lloyd was working on a week to week basis in St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin when approached by Mrs Breda Earley, a senior figure in radiography with Our Lady of Lourdes, who asked her to work there. She began her employment on March 6th, 1994 and it ended on December 31st.
She continued to be paid until May 1996.
After the first month in Drogheda, she encountered huge difficulties which seemed to revolve around the personality of Ms Earley. Ms Earley constantly picked on her for minor infringements and shouted and screamed at her in front of patients and staff, he said.
Ms Lloyd began to suffer serious medical problems which were diagnosed as stress related and seen as directly relating to her employment. There was medical evidence that after she resigned in November 1995 her symptoms eased. The case was one of constructive dismissal, he claimed.
Mr Mallon said she was not a particularly good radiographer and her illness record was not very good.
Mr Thomas Gilmore, psychiatric nurse, said Ms Lloyd was referred to him by her general practitioner in October 1995. She was anxious, tearful and depressed.
He found her to be under considerable stress and strain from her employment. She had vomiting, diarrhoea and panic attacks. When he saw her in January 1996, after she had resigned, she was in better form and no longer felt the pressure to return to work. She was concerned about her future.
Mrs Mavis Lloyd said she had advised her daughter to resign. Deborah had said some sort of stickers were placed on her in the X ray department which Mrs Lloyd believed were either orange or green.
Mr Mallon said that Ms Earley had completed a form sent to referees in relation to a job in Northern Ireland for which Ms Lloyd had applied, and on it said Ms Lloyd would be a loyal and flexible member of a team.
In seven categories she had awarded her the second highest scores allowed. In another category she had described her flexibility as excellent.
The case was adjourned until April 22nd.