A Real Life Whistleblowing Employment Tribunal - Why does it matter?

HC-UK Conferences August 2022 Abstract This presentation provides an insight into a real life crowdfunded NHS whistleblowing case. This comes from the perspective of both a frontline NHS clinician and crowdfunder. The tactics used against Dr Day, his response to them and the effect that such a public protracted fight has had on NHS culture and ‘confidence in the system’. Potential changes are then discussed Chris is a Locum Emergency Medicine doctor working at the moment in East London. Chris is also a Claimant in a high profile whistleblowing case that has been ongoing for nearly 9 years. The case re-established statutory whistleblowing protection (in the Court of Appeal) for junior doctors in England. The case has had further media attention last month when Chris’ NHS opponents admitted to destroying evidence whilst a 16 day court hearing was in progress. NHS trust ‘deliberately’ deleted up to 90,000 emails before tribunal hearing (computerweekly.com) https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2... The case is now currently supported by the British Medical Association but in the first 6 years of its life was crowdfunded by 4,000 people on the Crowdjustice platform. Chris’ crowdfunders still take an active interest in the case. Chris’ whistleblowing case has led him into the world of crowdfunding, media relations and politics where he has been successful in securing support for his case in these arenas. Most notably Chris secured the former Health Secretary Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt as his witness at his most recent Tribunal hearing in June 2022. Chris has crowdfunded over £600k for public interest litigation which includes other doctors’ cases. Chris led the crowdfunding of Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba’s successful challenge of the General Medical Council. The Bawa-Garba case sent shockwaves around the globe and Chris appeared with others on BBC Panorama to explain the effect of the case on the medical profession.