Whistleblower consultant loses case against hospital

Martyn Pitman said he was now "faced with the brutal reality" of losing his career

A consultant who told an employment tribunal he was victimised for whistleblowing concerns about hospital care has had his complaints dismissed.

Martyn Pitman was sacked from the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) in Winchester in March.

The obstetrician and gynaecologist had raised fears about midwifery care at the hospital he worked at for 20 years.

He claimed he suffered a detriment due to exercising rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

However, Judge Gray concluded that "the claimant's complaints of detriment on the grounds of whistleblowing fail and are dismissed".

Mr Pitman, pictured delivering a baby in 2019, was dismissed from his job in March

The judgment found the "overarching reason" for what has happened to Mr Pitman was down to his "communication style" and "not the message he was trying to convey".

In a statement released after the tribunal, Mr Pitman, 57, said: "My decision to whistle blow patient and staff safety concerns at the trust has cost me very dearly and I am faced with the brutal reality of losing the career I have cherished."

He said he was currently considering his next steps.

A trust spokesperson said its staff were "actively encouraged to speak up candidly and free of any concern about a perceived risk to their role".

Mr Pitman's colleagues stood outside the tribunal court to support him as proceedings began

They said: "Mr Pitman raised important and valid concerns particularly in relation to impacts around staffing levels on our maternity unit.

"He was right to do this - and he was not alone in doing so. We listen to concerns raised and take action. Today, our maternity units are fully recruited for midwives.

"Our issue was never about the concerns raised by Mr Pitman, but about concerns raised by others of disruptive behaviour and then a breakdown in working relationships.

"These factors are damaging in any workplace, but in a healthcare setting, which is by its nature an intense and pressurised environment, their destabilising effect is even more serious."

Mr Pitman told the Southampton hearing his concerns had been about patient choice and safety - which he claimed management dismissed out of fear for "reputational damage".

He said he was later downgraded following a "surgical complication" during a procedure undertaken by a colleague without his knowledge in March 2021, and then dismissed in March this year.

Mr Pitman said a separate unfair dismissal claim was ongoing. It is expected to be determined at a later stage.