Hospice workers keep seeing ‘a girl in a red dress,’ but holy oil and allegedly an exorcist failed to end it

An NHS hospice in Norwich called in what are commonly known as exorcists after staff kept reporting paranormal sightings, including a ‘girl in a red dress.’ The complaints became so frequent that the NHS felt they had to act to ease their employees’ fears.

Staff at the Priscilla Bacon Lodge, which provided specialist end-of-life care, were convinced the site was haunted. The building had previously served as the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital until 1975. Staff specifically reported seeing the figure of a ‘small child in a red dress’ at the site.

To address these concerns, the NHS requested the help of deliverance ministers, who are employed by the Church of England to rid places or people of what they call ‘evil spirits.’ Emails from 2023 show the hospice chaplain reaching out to the Diocese of Norwich for ‘advice/support from the deliverance team’ and requesting ‘some holy oil’ from Norwich Cathedral to conduct a religious service for concerned staff and patients.

The Church of England’s deliverance ministry is a more structured and medically aware process than most people realise

A week later, further emails confirmed that conversations were taking place with a member of the deliverance team. While the trust confirmed that a ‘blessing of the building’ was carried out, they denied that an exorcist visited the site in person. They also did not disclose the specific incidents that patients and staff reported. 

The sightings of a mysterious figure dressed in red remained unexplained. Priscilla Bacon Lodge later moved into new premises in 2023, after these incidents were reported, and the old building is no longer in use. The Church of England’s deliverance ministry has a structured history. Traditionally, clergy had a negative view of exorcisms, but that changed in the 1960s and 1970s, partly due to the popularity of the horror film The Exorcist. 

New rules were introduced in 1974, updating the procedures for ‘deliverance ministry.’ These rules required bishops to give special permission for such rites, and doctors had to be consulted. There was also a strict requirement that exorcisms ‘should be done with the minimum of publicity.’

Later guidelines in 2019 emphasised even more caution, especially when dealing with someone in a disturbed state. They also advised bringing in child welfare specialists or even the police if a crime was suspected. Red has long carried powerful symbolism across cultures, from Mariah Carey’s iconic red and white festive look to the chilling apparition reported by NHS staff.

A spokesman for the Church of England said that deliverance ministry is a highly specialised form of pastoral care. “It’s deeply rooted in the church’s commitment to healing, wholeness, and peace for anyone experiencing distress, whether it’s physical, mental, or spiritual. It’s offered within the context of prayer, sacrament, and scripture, and it’s embedded within the church’s broader ministry of healing.”