Whistleblowing hospital boss gets £1.2m compensation

The former Chief Executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust has been awarded £1.2m in compensation after it was found he was unfairly dismissed as a whistleblower.

In May an Employment Tribunal found that Mr Watkinson was unfairly dismissed. He was allegedly dismissed after he raised concerns to the hospital board about plans to transfer some cancer services to Devon and called for a consultation on the plans.

The Tribunal found that his dismissal was "automatically... procedurally and substantively unfair."

He was awarded £67,250 after it was ruled that the Trust failed to follow proper procedures in his dismissal. It has now been ruled that Mr Watkinson should also receive £1.2m for the whistleblowing part of this claim.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust is appealing the ruling that Mr Watkinson was sacked for whistleblowing, although it accepts he was unfairly dismissed.

Mr Watkinson said the most important thing for him is to restore his good name and reputation. He said he holds little hope of gaining another senior role in the NHS in future.