THE judgement from a tribunal into a sacked Winchester doctor who believed he had been let go due to whistleblowing has been released.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Martyn Pitman was dismissed earlier this year from the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) in Winchester where he had worked in his role for 20 years.

He appeared before an employment tribunal, which took place from September 25 to October 9, having accused the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) of firing him for whistleblowing concerns on patient and staff safety.

READ MORE: Tribunal into sacked Hampshire doctor who 'whistleblew' concerns comes to a close

However, the judgement of the tribunal has been released today (Friday, October 27), with Mr Pitman’s complaints being dismissed unanimously.

A HHFT spokesperson said: “We welcome the findings of the employment tribunal and thank the panel, led by Judge Gray, for their diligence in reaching their conclusion.

“Although grateful that the decision has been made in our favour, we would not have wanted to find ourselves at a tribunal. The value we place on all our staff cannot be overstated; they are on the front line of providing outstanding care and clinical excellence to patients.”

The spokesperson continued: “Mr Pitman raised important and valid concerns particularly in relation to impacts around staffing levels on our maternity unit. He was right to do this - and he was not alone in doing so.  We listen to concerns raised and take action. Today, our maternity units are fully recruited for midwives.

“Our issue was never about the concerns raised by Mr Pitman, but about concerns raised by others of disruptive behaviour and then a breakdown in working relationships.  These factors are damaging in any workplace, but in a healthcare setting, which is by its nature an intense and pressurised environment, their destabilising effect is even more serious.”

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At the end of his tribunal, Mr Pitman said in a statement: “I owed it to so many people to see this through to its conclusion, in the genuine hope that justice will prevail and that accountability and much-needed change will result.

“There are so many individuals that I need to thank, from the very bottom of my heart, for supporting, counselling and guiding me through this, the most challenging chapter of my life.”

Mr Pitman has been reached for further comment.