TWO dental nurses in East Lancashire who posted “appalling” comments underneath an online newspaper article about Muslim colleagues have escaped with official reprimands from a health watchdog.

Lindsey Moorcroft and Hayley Camacho posted offensive comments on Facebook under a Daily Telegraph article headlined "Muslim Staff Escape Hygiene Rule".

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But the General Dental Council (GDC) has ruled that because they were isolated incidents, which have not been repeated, the Nelson Yarnspinners Health Centre pair should not be kicked out of the profession.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal has branded the comments as “unacceptable” and insisted they were not reflective of the vast majority of NHS staff in Pendle.

It is understood that the pair were disciplined but remain working at Yarnspinners.

An anonymous whistleblower made a complaint regarding Camacho and Moorcroft’s actions after taking screen shots of their comments from Facebook profiles, the GDC’s professional conduct committee was told.

Camacho and Moorcroft, who were both employed by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, each admitted making the comments and that they were "offensive" and "unprofessional". Their conduct was found to be impaired at the hearing in London.

Each was said to have expressed remorseand regret for their behaviour and accepted that their comments may have caused offence to those reading them. The committee noted that neither had any previous regulatory action taken against them.

Issuing reprimands to the pair, which will will stay on their records for 12 months, the GDC spokesman said: “You have expressed your regret and remorse for the comments that you made and for the effect that they may have had on others.

"The facts relate to a single, isolated incident. There have been no further incidents.”

Cllr Iqbal, who represents the town’s Bradley ward on the borough council and is Nelson North and Brierfield county councillor, said: “This is appalling behaviour, from the comments which have been made.

“They work in the public sector and this kind of conduct is just unacceptable. I know that this is not the general perception of NHS staff, who are like a family, working with all kinds of people.”

A Lancashire Care spokesman said: “While we are unable to discuss specific cases, we can assure the public that the trust considers any behaviour that is likely to compromise professional standards as a serious matter.

“It should be noted that the trust sets very high standards for its staff in terms of their conduct both inside and outside of work in line with professional codes of conduct and has internal procedures to manage anything to the contrary. Notably, we have co-operated fully with the General Dental Council in this situation.”