A loyal NHS nurse fired after warning that increased workload contributed to a patient’s death has won a 462,000 payout.
Mum-of-two Linda Fairhall, 62, had an unblemished 40-year career when she blew the whistle at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS trust.
A tribunal upheld her unfair dismissal claim but the trust appealed. But a judge blasted health chiefs and set what is believed to be a record award for lost salary and remedies.
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Mrs Fairhall, who has had cancer and lost her partner, raised concerns on patient safety in 2016, reports the Mirror.
The Billingham woman said she felt “vindicated” by the ruling adding: “I want other nurses to know you can speak out.
The law does protect you.” At the appeal, Judge James Tayler said the original tribunal had “reached an unimpeachable decision”.
The clinical care-cordinator was sacked after after trying to whistle-blow over patient safety concerns.
Linda had an “unblemished” record at the trust where she had worked since 1979. But she was suspended in 2016, and then later sacked, after trying to start a whistle-blowing process.
Teesside Live reported in March 2020 how she had successfully challenged her employer's decision to dismiss her.
But the impact of the ordeal had a "profound" effect on her, said her legal team, and she was left unable to work.
From 2008, Mrs Fairhall was employed as a clinical care co-ordinator for the ...
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