Whistleblower thrown off course | Winston Solicitors
Legal news

Whistleblower thrown off course

Jonathan Winston Jonathan Winston
2 min read

A student nurse who complained about the poor treatment of elderly patients at Stafford Hospital has been forced off her training course.

Barbara Allatt told of a ‘culture of bullying’ during placements at Stafford Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital, both part of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust which was the subject of an inquiry into between 400 and 1,200 unexpected deaths at the trust between 2005 and 2008.

Two years after the inquiry, Miss Allatt reported seeing colleagues leave patients in soiled sheets, shout at dementia sufferers and secretly slip sedatives into a cup of tea. She reported her concerns to university tutors, hospital mentors and senior nurses but claims she was ‘fobbed off’.

She had been a good student who had passed her exams and received glowing reports from her work placements but in January she was suspended due to her ‘behaviour, attitude and fitness to practice’. She was supported by the Royal College of Nursing but lost two appeals and subsequently lost her place on the course.

Miss Allatt is planning to sue the university for breaching the Public Interest Disclosure Act which is aimed at protecting whistleblowers. She also intends taking legal action against the trust for bullying.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1278533/The-nurse-victimised-whistleblower-Trainee-thrown-exposing-abuse-shamed-hospital.html

More Winston Solicitors news

Client feedback

They were very good at keeping me up to date and letting me know the progress of my claim
Charley
I would definitely highly recommend the efficiency & good communication thry have & have had several properties successfully completed with
Mr H
Excellent local solicitors would recommend. You can call in the office car parking available and receptionists very helpful if you need help. Dealt with them before, excellent.
Ian
Friendly, easy to understand and comunitive. Would happily recommend they to others.
John
Winston Solicitors was recommended to me, as this was my first time buying a house and didn’t know what to expect. They made the process very easy and I did not have to worry about any of the process as I got to track it every step of the way. Samantha also kept me updated and any queries were replied to promptly. I will definitely be using again in the future and recommend everyone I know.
Mr Michel
I can’t speak highly enough of Sidraa at Winston Solicitors for her exceptional support throughout my house purchase. From start to finish, she has been absolutely brilliant. Her prompt responses, attention to detail, and professionalism made a stressful process feel manageable and smooth. This is actually the second time I’ve used Winston Solicitors, and once again, they have been great. Consistent, reliable, and professional and Sidraa in particular truly went above and beyond. She was always kind, polite, and incredibly approachable, nothing ever felt like too much trouble. Even when dealing with a particularly difficult chain and the added pressure of a new stamp duty deadline, she worked tirelessly to get everything done on time. She responded to queries even out of hours, always called back when she said she would, and genuinely made me feel like a priority. What really stood out to me was her dedication — despite having preplanned annual leave for Eid, she still tried to keep things moving, which shows how committed she is to her clients. Her communication was clear and consistent, and she made a complex process feel a lot less daunting. I felt fully supported and in safe hands throughout. If you're looking for a solicitor who is professional, caring, and truly exceptional at what she does, Sidraa at Winston Solicitors is the one to go to. I’m incredibly grateful for everything she did and wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again or recommend her to others. - April 2025
I Younas, Leeds
I would really like to thank both Amr and his assistant Joe. Throughout the whole process they kept me informed, nothing was ever too much. I am a first time buyer, this was a very stressful time but both members of staff made me feel at ease that it would get sorted. Thank you so much both!
Y Hinton, Leeds
Leasa and Julie were fantastic at helping us buy and sell our house. They were punctual, and kept us up to date with what was going on. Their online platform was clear to follow. Leasa's email response time was rapid, this was incredibly valuable. - March 2025
J Salthouse, Leeds
Contact Jonathan