Coronavirus: MP Nadia Whittome 'sacked' as carer after 'speaking out' about PPE

Nadia WhittomeNadia Whittome

In March Nadia Whittome returned to the care job she had before becoming an MP

An MP claims she was "effectively sacked" after speaking out about PPE at her part-time job at a care home.

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, returned to work at Lark Hill retirement village to help with the coronavirus outbreak.

But she said she was accused of "spreading misinformation" about a lack of PPE in her interview with BBC's Newsnight and told not to return.

Her employer ExtraCare said there were no problems with PPE at Lark Hill.

It added it "no longer needed" her help as a casual worker because its own in-house cover was enough.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain earlier, Ms Whittome said she was "delighted" there was now sufficient PPE, but that "wasn't the case" when she first spoke out.

She said: "I've always told the truth and that's corroborated by the fact that ExtraCare had themselves put out a plea for PPE donations."

Ms Whittome told Newsnight last month she saw masks limited to one a day and visors donated by members of the public.

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On Wednesday she claimed she had received an e-mail about speaking publically about this and her employer reduced her hours to zero.

She said she was "appalled".

She added: "It is my duty to be honest about the lack of PPE and testing.

"I can survive being effectively sacked for speaking out, because I have another income. But for so many people in social care - who work a skilled, exhausting and now dangerous job for poverty pay - speaking out is not an option."

'Inaccurate' reports

A spokeswoman for the ExtraCare Charitable Trust said reports of a lack of PPE at Lark Hill were "inaccurate" and they had more than three months' supply.

She said they had had no deaths because of Covid-19 thanks to a "full supply of PPE" and infection control and they had always followed government guidance.

She added: "Nadia joined us as a casual worker to help our care team and we welcomed her contribution, providing support on eight care shifts during March and April.

"Our in-house care team are now fulfilling our needs at this time and Nadia's help is no longer needed."

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