Caroline Petrie, a nurse from Weston-super-Mare, was suspended without pay for asking a patient whether she would like to be prayed for. North Somerset Primary Care Trust suspended Mrs Petrie even though the patient in question was not offended. The incident was reported by a nurse who visited the same patient the day after Mrs Petrie had offered prayer. Mrs Petrie was accused of breaking nursing guidelines by failing to “demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity”.
Following intervention by the Christian Legal Centre and widespread media coverage, Mrs Petrie was reinstated.