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Former NHS manager still waiting for apology
A former NHS manager who won an age discrimination case against Leeds hospitals has not yet received an apology, a tribunal heard.
The hearing was to determine the level of compensation owed to Linda Sturdy by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Her legal team are arguing the case was aggravated so damages should be higher than usual.
But the hospital's lawyers say the payment should not be increased. And they said they would issue an apology at the end of the case.
The 58-year-old is claiming nearly 500,000, which with costs and tax could leave the hospitals facing a bill of up to 1m.
Mrs Sturdy, who ran breast screening services for women across Leeds, Wakefield and Pontefract, was told in 2006 her job was disappearing.
But the role which replaced it was given to a less experienced candidate.
Before that, a manager had commented that he hadn't realised how old Mrs Sturdy – 56 at the time – was.
Although this was later decided to have been intended as a compliment, last October the tribunal panel ruled the hospitals trust hadn't followed its own policies and that Mrs Sturdy had been subjected to age discrimination and victimisation.
At yesterday's hearing in Leeds, Mrs Sturdy's solicitor Colin Bourne said the judgement contained "fairly damning criticism."
He said: "The claimant has received not a breath of apology for any of the points that were found proved against the trust. That must represent at least to some degree the view the respondent takes of the claimant."
Mr Bourne said Mrs Sturdy, who lives near Ripon, had suffered four acts of discrimination and six of victimisation.
He said: "I say this is one of these cases where it is appropriate to make an award for aggravated damages. I say that because of the number of unacceptable things done to the claimant." Mr Bourne said Mrs Sturdy had ended up off sick with stress.
Emma Smith, for the hospitals trust, said the trust acknowledged her distress at being moved from her job.
Proceeding
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Friday 25 May 2012
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