A HEREFORDSHIRE health boss has spoken out against racism towards hospital staff after members of the England football team were hit with racist abuse.

Wye Valley NHS Trust chief executive Glen Burley said the well publicised treatment of our footballers had helped to emphasise what some NHS staff face every day.

"We will not accept any racist or discriminatory behaviour towards our staff and where appropriate we will refuse to treat any individual who behaves in this way," Mr Burley said.

Staff at Hereford County Hospital are among those who have faced racist attacks from patients.

Just last month, a woman was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to charges including racially or religiously abusing two hospital staff members.

The court heard 28-year-old Natasha Woods, of Blakemore Close, Hereford, had used highly offensive language towards staff.

And in 2018, two black nurses were verbally racially abused while using computers at Hereford library.

His comment cams as the Government announced it is changing football banning orders to cover online racism.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Boris Johnson condemned the racist abuse directed at some black England players following the team’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final.

“I utterly condemn and abhor the racist outpourings that we saw on Sunday night,” he said.

“So what we are doing is taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning regime is changed so that if you are guilty of racist abuse online on football, then you will not be going to the match.

“No ifs, no buts, no exemptions, no excuses.”

Football banning orders are handed out when someone is convicted of a “relevant offence” linked to a match, including crimes such as disorderly behaviour, making threats against people or property, and possession of weapons or alcohol.

The list also covers crimes set out under the Football (Offences) Act 1991, which include racist chanting, pitch invasion and throwing missiles.

The duration of a banning order, which is used to bar individuals from attending matches and in some cases can require them to surrender their passports ahead of overseas fixtures, can range from a minimum of three years up to a maximum of 10 years.