Sacked IVF expert wins unfair dismissal tribunal

An embryologist has won her case for unfair dismissal after raising concerns about an IVF clinic in Glasgow.

An employment tribunal heard Ann Henderson told bosses at the GCRM Glasgow Fertility Clinic that patients were "effectively being misled" about their prospects of success.

The laboratory manager warned of an "unacceptably high-level risk of errors" at the private clinic.

Ms Henderson was axed in February 2022 after nearly twenty years of work.

She had warned of staff shortages, lack of staff skill and a too high workload in the period leading up to her dismissal.

The tribunal judgement stated that Ms Henderson "would not allow matters to drop and as time went on was seeking to escalate them".

'Breakdown in trust'

To address these issues would involve "time and money", the verdict added, something that would "impact negatively on patient numbers and therefore income of the clinic".

The ruling said clinic bosses did not want to do that and decided it would be better to have Ms Henderson leave her role.

GCRM said Ms Henderson was dismissed for "reasons unconnected" to her whistleblowing disclosures and said there had been a "breakdown in trust and confidence" in her ability to run and manage the laboratory.

Ms Henderson is in line to receive compensation, to be determined at a later date, after winning the case for whistleblowing detriment and unfair dismissal.