In the case of Professor Tanweer Ahmed v United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust a doctor is set to receive over £250,000 in compensation from a Lincolnshire hospital trust after being unfairly dismissed. Professor Tanweer Ahmed, who had an unblemished 16-year career with the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, was terminated following allegations of bullying.
At the time of his dismissal, Professor Ahmed was serving as the director of the Lincolnshire Clinical Research Facility and chair of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff network. Despite his senior roles, he was later dismissed for gross misconduct.
The matter was first brought before an employment tribunal in early 2021, with a series of hearings and decisions continuing until late 2022. The tribunal ultimately concluded that Professor Ahmed had been subjected to racial discrimination and unfair dismissal.
In 2022, Professor Ahmed stated he had always believed that justice would prevail, although he revealed that the prolonged ordeal had taken a toll on his mental health, leading to a prescription for antidepressants.
The bullying allegations originated from a former team member who resigned in 2018. Professor Ahmed described the claims as a “malicious retaliation.”
An internal investigation, led by then deputy chief nurse Jennie Negus, only involved interviews with individuals who supported the allegations. Professor Ahmed’s personal assistant, who was not interviewed, later described the accusations as “laughable,” and many were ultimately disproven.
Although the investigative report did not recommend disciplinary action, the matter was escalated by Martin Rayson, the trust’s director of human resources and organisational development, to a panel hearing. Rayson also accused Professor Ahmed of “playing the race card.”
The panel found Professor Ahmed guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed him. However, the tribunal later deemed the process “entirely biased” and concluded that the trust failed to provide a “plausible explanation” for why race was not a factor in the dismissal. It also found serious procedural failings, including the fact that Professor Ahmed was kept unaware of the full allegations against him for nearly a year.
In 2022, the tribunal confirmed that he had been treated unfairly. A judgment published in March of this year awarded Professor Ahmed £256,031.70 in compensation. This sum includes £163,834.20 for lost earnings, £80,410 for lost pension benefits, £500 for loss of statutory rights, and a basic award of £11,287.50. The NHS trust is responsible for paying £244,244.20 of this amount.
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
