British Nurse prank call

T

thepeoplesagent

Sometimes I feel I’m the last sane person on earth. Many would say this makes me insane.

But over the last few days I’ve been hearing that the radio station involved in the prank has been receiving death threats. You have to be kidding me?

Now I’m no fan and don’t even listen to FM radio. I’m certainly not a fan of these dubbed “shock-jocks”. It was only a prank call; everyone thought it was funny before it resulted in a suicide. I believe Jacintha Saldanha had other issues, with this prank call being the straw that broke the camel’s back.

She wasn’t even the one who spoke to the radio station, she just patched the call through. I know I’m not in her shoes, but if I were put in a similar situation, taking my life would not be something considered.

I don’t know, I just don’t get it. There has to be something more to this girl’s story.

Now we have become so politically correct it’s a joke. If people want to send death threats to the radio station why stop there? How many hundreds of prank TV shows are there now? They do the exact same thing. The only difference is this radio station was unlucky enough to run into someone who was more than likely already thinking of taking their life. As for me, I couldn’t blame them for what happened.

If the worst thing that ever happens to me is getting a prank phone call then I believe I’ve had a very good life. I am The Peoples Agent, and yes, I went there.
 
Agree.

Yes it is too bad this person committed suicide.

However, there must have been other issues, as you say, and this may have been the last straw.
If it wasn't this issue, what else could of pushed her over?
No one should ever feel guilty for someone killing themself. It is a selfish act, and I don't care how upset or sad they are.

I haven't heard the radio broadcast, but I get the gist of what happened.
It seems if they want / need to lay blame, they need to start with the hospital?
From what I understand, they didn't follow their own procedures.

If no one died, this would have been seen as humorous.

I'm tired of a society when everyone has to blame someone else for their actions.
Get over it !!
 
If the person is going to kill them selves over something like this, then there was more to the story and this could have been the catalyst to something she may have done anyway down the track

Our society has become a cheap media with no personal responsibility anytime where someone must be blamed for every negative incident

I wish it were like the old days

Frankly I consider suicide very selfish unless you were homeless, had no family and friends and were going to jump into a black hole never to be seen again
 
The radio broadcasters didn't actually think they would get through - reminds me of the Chasers a few years back getting through security and being charged over it.

The hospital is very quick to blame the radio hosts. They have not shared what if any discipline measures they took against the nurse. Did they threaten to sack her for not being more diligent in her job? Was she already on her last warning?

Also what about her culture. In some cultures certain behaviours / mistakes bring shame on the family, religion, community. What part could her background and standing have played in her decision. Was it that she couldn't live with her owm mistake?

IMO
If the radio hosts did not follow station and ACMA protocol then they are at fault for that.

The hospital / nurse is at fault for transferring the call. Don't they have caller ID? Wouldn't there be a direct line to the hospital room - after all the patient is a Royal.

The nurse took her own life - her actions, her responsibility. She was not murdered.
 
I agree the nurse was responsible for her own actions.

However I have always wondered how radio stations ever got away with publishing phone conversations with people who haven't given their informed consent. That is clearly against privacy laws as well as ethics.

If someone aired in public a conversation they had with me which I thought was private, without informing me that they were recording it first, I would not be at all happy regardless of the circumstances. That behaviour is clearly unacceptable and doesn't even belong in a schoolyard.

If these sorts of practices get stopped as a result of this then at least something good would have come of it, however small. Some of us still value our privacy.
 
Getting back to Kathryn d's point - the hospital: with the NHS the way it is (or was) are the wards as short staffed as here? Would this have contributed to her condition/state of mind at the time?
 
Those doing the crucifying are idiots and are either trolls or buying into the news hysteria. I wonder if most do the same with actual murderers? Probably not.

Assuming the nurse had serious self esteem issues and mental health problems, you would think if she got 'full support' from the hospital this probably wouldn't have occurred.

In regards to the 2 DJ's, regardless of what people think of the joke, the fact is these have been going on (not just on radio) forever and no one suicides over them - although statistically based on how often people suicide you'd think it would happen more often.

Even Gillard did the 'end if the world' joke in the same week. Not the same? Well I'd say psychotic or depressed person with a tendency for nihilistic and/or paranoid delusions would have certainly taken that one on board.

Whatever the DJ's are feeling now, in time that will turn to anger.
 
It's a beat up, pure and simple. The nurse who killed herself is responsible for that, for the pain it caused to her family. It has nothing to do with the DJs, who should not have to apologise for anything as it is clearly a joke. I laughed when I heard the actual exchange because it was so ridiculous. People need to lighten up - but I guess the political climate here and in the UK is so toxic that any way to shove more regulation and intrusiveness into our lives is welcomed by government.
 
Aaron_C said:
It's a beat up, pure and simple. The nurse who killed herself is responsible for that, for the pain it caused to her family. It has nothing to do with the DJs, who should not have to apologise for anything as it is clearly a joke. I laughed when I heard the actual exchange because it was so ridiculous. People need to lighten up - but I guess the political climate here and in the UK is so toxic that any way to shove more regulation and intrusiveness into our lives is welcomed by government.
Click to expand...

In the uk is pretty much illegal to do anything, political correctness is worse then here, you can get jailed for being racist, here you'd probably get beaten up by a Crooked cop if he is having a bad day
 
I agree with the general sentiment that the nurse was responsible for her own actions and there certainly is more to it than just a prank call. Despite this, I do believe that the radio station and DJs crossed a line somewhere.

My understanding is that they're supposed to get consent from the victim to air this sort of thing. Clearly that wasn't the case here.

Secondly I don't accept the excuse of, "How could we have known?" There are plenty of other examples where DJs have serious personal and legal repercussions on the target, the station & the DJs. Vile Kyle and 2DayFM have a whole closet of skeletons, just as an easy example.

I'm not aware of a suicide prior to this event for such a prank, but society is full of examples where a suicide was linked to bullying, and let's face it, on some level, this sort of prank is a form of bullying. Whilst I believe people are too wrapped up in cotton wool these days and people are overly sensitive to bullying, if you think that bullying isn't acceptable then perhaps prank calls and similar practical jokes aren't either.

And frankly, it wasn't funny even before the tragedy occurred. I'm embarrassed to listen to some of these calls.
 
It would be interesting to see what if any disciplinary action the hospital threatened against the nurse. Did they threaten to sack her?

I reckon the hospital would have at least blown the crap out of that dear nurse.

Funny how you don't get the full story. Some poms are as bad as some Aussies. hey Mr Cameron. Stiff upper lip ol boy. lol.

And why doesnt the media jump up and down when Prince Philip makes racist jokes. Or muse over Charles and his gardener?

As for the two aussie DJs and their crocodile tears. It appears the radio station is only trying to save advertising contracts.
 
It's probable that she received threats from the royal establishment and faced dismissal, and it's this that pushed her over the edge rather than the call itself.
 
HiEquity said:
However I have always wondered how radio stations ever got away with publishing phone conversations with people who haven't given their informed consent. That is clearly against privacy laws as well as ethics.
Click to expand...
But - as pointed out in the media - the radio stations pre-record the pranks calls and then have to get permission from the other party before airing it.

Apparently contact was made with the hospital on several occasions, seeking permission, but the radio station was ignored.

A head will roll in management for actually allowing it to air but there is waaaaay more to this story than is being sensationalised.

p.s. I detest prank calls. I find them cringeworthy (not funny) and rather pathetic
 
Last edited:
The Nurse

The Nurse was working in London on nightshift, living in Nurse's quarters while her husband and 2 children 8 and 14 yrs. were being supported by her efforts in Bristol (not sure of the distances but approx 80k away).She got to see her family on 'weekends' (that is according to her work schedule).

She was a migrant worker, you know the type, just wanted a better life for her and her family...


I think 4 million youtube hits an hour ( not sure of the exact amount of calls, but you get the idea)of your own voice passing on a phone call would be something to push any person feeling a bit vulnerable.

The radio station did not have permission to air. Quite possibly had the Nurse agreed to it she would most likely have lost her job, for not protecting her patients privacy.

So there, now you have my opinion:(
 
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