NHS whistleblower unfairly dismissed

The award-winning former president of the British Neuropsychological Society was unfairly dismissed after being sacked shortly after whistleblowing on health service cuts, an employment tribunal has found.

The tribunal heard that after Dr Narinder Kapur expressed concerns over staff shortages and unqualified staff with inadequate supervision being used by the Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust. He was falsely accused of fraud and had his computer hacked and office searched. In December 2010 the Trust sacked Dr Kapur as head of neuropsychology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, causing him and his family financial problems.

An employment tribunal in Bury St Edmunds has ruled his sacking was unfair. It did not accept the dismissal was directly linked to the whistleblowing but said the office search and computer hacking was “entirely contemptible”. It “condemned unreservedly” the fraud allegations and said Dr Kapur, who has won awards for clinical excellence, was a man of the “highest integrity”. The tribunal said the Trust had “not conducted itself as a reasonable employer” by failing to properly explore alternatives to dismissal. Since Dr Kapur’s sacking the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, who is also his local MP, has ordered that whistleblowing staff should be supported by hospital managers.

Our Employment team provides advice on the employment aspects of all major business decisions. For advice, contact a member of the team, call us on 08456 381381 or email employment@ibblaw.co.uk.