BURY North MP David Chaytor shocked the House of Commons this week when he raised the case of a top doctor harrassed at work because he was gay.

Mr Chaytor told the House how Dr Nicholas Priestley had collapsed with a heart attack at High Bank Health Care in Bury, but bosses refused to call an ambulance.

And, after he returned from his illness, one of the directors of the company told Dr Priestley "that he wished he had not recovered or returned and that he wished that he had died".

Mr Chaytor said that Dr Priestley had a national reputation before he was appointed lead consultant neuro psychologist for High Bank Health Care Ltd, which operates a head injury rehabilitation unit on Walshaw Road, Bury.

In June 1996, Dr Priestley was promoted to Regional Clinical Director of the Northern Division of the company, quitting two years later after the heart attack and "two years of systematic harassment by other senior members of staff". Mr Chaytor said Dr Priestley was a gay man who did not seek to hide the fact or consider that his sexuality in any way interfered with his professional competence

He said that the harassment "consisted, quite simply, of intense homophobia".

When Dr Priestley took his case to an industrial tribunal claiming constructive dismissal, it was so badly handled by the chairman that his barrister recommended that he withdraw because of the anti-gay attitude of the hearing.

Mr Chaytor called for the Government to build protection for gay people against harassment into law and to take action to prevent any repeat of the "shambolic" industrial tribunal.

Employment Minister Margaret Hodge said: "Mr Chaytor wanted this debate because he was concerned that anyone should suffer harassment and distress because of prejudice at work.

"I share that concern and regret that it should ever happen. It is unacceptable for any employer to allow staff to behave in that way."

Dr Priestley said: "It is incredible to believe that lesbians and gay men can still face discrimination both in the workplace and at an industrial tribunal and there seems to be little we can do about it."

A spokesperson for High Bank Health Care Ltd said: "Highbank House feels that it is an old story which is not relevant now and therefore does not wish to comment on it."

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