Hospital bans security guards from wearing the Union flag on their uniforms to honour murdered Westminster PC Keith Palmer after ONE complaint from the public

Bristol Royal Infirmary has ordered its 12 security guards to remove the flag
They received just one complaint from the public over the Velcro patches
Hospital source says the ban 'is an insult to the British people'

Published: 17:30 BST, 4 April 2017 | Updated: 19:17 BST, 4 April 2017

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A hospital has banned security guards from wearing the Union flag on their uniforms after just one complaint from the public.

Around half the 12-strong workforce at the Bristol Royal Infirmary had stuck the Velcro patches of the national symbol on their stab vests.

But all of the guards, who are employed by the NHS, have now had an e-mail telling them to remove the black and blue patches with immediate effect.

The badges are similar to those sold in aid of the Care of Police Survivors charity, dedicated to helping families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty.

But all of the guards, who are employed by the NHS, have had an e-mail telling them to remove the black and blue patches from their vests, pictured

They rose to prominence two weeks ago when many police officers donned them after the terrorist murder of PC Keith Palmer at the House of Parliament.

A hospital source said: 'The badges have been a recent thing. The security guards got new stab vests that had Velcro on them and so decided to get the badges.

'It is an insult to the British people that they are having to be taken off.

'All the security staff are upset about it and cannot quite believe there has been a complaint.

'The staff are doing their best for everyone in the hospital, trying to keep people safe and a complaint like this is made.

'Personally I find it offensive that someone is offended that much by the Union Jack.'

A source at Bristol Royal Infirmary, pictured, said: 'The badges have been a recent thing. The security guards got new stab vests that had Velcro on them and so decided to get the badges'

In 2015 a Sussex Police officer was asked to remove the badge by his supervisor because it breached uniform policy.

Other forces followed later that year telling officers to take off the flags because they were not functional with policing uniforms and may cause offence to some.

The University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust confirmed there had been a complaint and staff were asked to remove the flag.

A spokesman said: 'We were contacted recently by a member of the public who saw security officers at the Bristol Royal Infirmary wearing Union Jack flag patches on their uniforms.

The University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust confirmed there had been a complaint and staff were asked to remove the flag (file photo)

'The member of the public commended the security staff on how well they dealt with a difficult incident and asked about a union jack patch that they had on their uniforms as they had not seen it before on an NHS uniform.

'Our trust policy says that uniforms cannot be altered or personalised and that only professional badge adornments are permitted.

'Security staff were therefore reminded of this and asked to remove any non-authorised badges or symbols from their uniforms.

'We also shared with them compliment from the member of public.'