Staff member at Craigavon Hospital shouted ‘Up the Ra’ and said he would riot following the death of Queen Elizabeth

It is understood the man was heard making disparaging comments about the late monarch to other members of staff while at work in Craigavon Hospital.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust said ‘the matter has been dealt with’ but did not say how.

One source described what was overheard in the hospital as ‘extreme sectarian comments’.

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It is claimed the staff member at Craigavon Hospital said the football was cancelled due to the Queen’s death and paraphrased the comments as ‘but they might as well put the Queen in a box and burn her now’.

It was also claimed the staff member declared that he was going to riot and celebrate the Queen’s death in the Holylands area of Belfast. Furthermore, it was claimed the staff member used the phrase ‘Up the Ra’ during this conversation.

The source said they were ‘shocked and concerned at such blatant sectarianism’ particularly in a hospital setting. “This needs stamped out, especially when the NHS caters for all religions, colours and creeds.”

A spokesperson for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, which runs Craigavon Hospital, said: “We take very seriously any allegation of sectarianism/discrimination in the workplace. The matter has been dealt with in line with our policies and procedures.

"The Trust encourages all staff to escalate concerns of any nature to their line managers immediately to enable them to be addressed.”