UK PODIATRIST ACCUSED OF ANTI-GAY BEHAVIOUR

A Christian podiatrist in the UK is in trouble for his allegedly homophobic behaviour towards gay patients, reports the BBC.

Steve Hardie, who worked for the Peterborough Community Services, has defended his “fitness to practise” in a hearing by the Health Professions Council.

Hardie has been accused of refusing to treat a patient who was HIV positive, who he assumed was gay, because of his disapproval of homosexuality and of failing to properly treat an “effeminate” diabetic patient.

In other incidents, Hardie was allegedly rude to two men who he believed were a gay couple and he has admitted to refusing to go into a clinic with a work colleague because of the man’s sexual orientation.

He also apparently walked out of a training session because he believed that the trainer had made a pass at him.

According to the Health Professions Council’s “standards of conduct, performance and ethics”, practitioners must not allow their views about a patient’s “sex, age, colour, race, disability, sexuality, social or economic status, lifestyle, culture, religion or beliefs” to affect the way they are treated.

Hardie has denied any misconduct.