(^4) DAILY MIRROR TUESDAY 03.03.
DM1ST
I was sacked for
telling the truth
about the NHS
Activists shut 100 Barclays sites over fossil fuel funding
environmental activists shut
down almost 100 Barclays branches
yesterday to protest the bank’s
support for the fossil fuel sector.
Greenpeace claims Barclays is
the biggest funder of oil, gas and
coal companies among european
banks and is demanding it pump
cash into renewable energy.
Branches in every region were hit
as activists disabled doors.
Greenpeace UK climate finance
campaigner morten thaysen said:
“Banks are just as responsible for
the climate emergency as the fossil
fuel companies they fund.”
Barclays said: “We recognise
climate change is one of the
greatest challenges facing the
world and are determined to do all
we can to support the transition to
a low carbon economy. Greenpeace
has a view to which they are
entitled but we would ask that – in
expressing that view – they stop
short of behaviour which targets
our customers, and our colleagues,
DEMO Manchester branch going about their lives.”
Parks she wished to start the formal
whistle-blowing procedure. Soon after
she was suspended over allegations of
potential gross misconduct relating to
her leadership, and then sacked.
The mum-of-two, from Billingham,
Teesside, said: “My honesty and integ-
rity are the two most important things
to me... and they have questioned them.
That is what I found so humiliating.”
Telling of the pressure on staff
providing services to patients in Hartle-
pool, Co Durham, she said: “Austerity
played a part. There was no money
to invest. When you have
25% of your staff sick,
training falls behind, it
has a knock-on
effect on every-
thing.
“I could not
have done any
more to highlight
the dangers.”
The tribunal
found the trust’s
probe into her
alleged misconduct to
be “inadequate and
unreasonable”. Judge Gerald
Johnson found in her favour and
described her nursing record as “clean
and unblemished”.
Dr Henrietta Hughes, the UK’s
national NHS guardian, said: “Workers
who speak up should be thanked for
doing so and the organisation should
demonstrate they are taking action to
address the issues raised.”
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS
Trust said it will appeal the decision
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@jeremyatmirror
Johnson deal
‘is a net loss’
BORIS Johnson’s post-
Brexit trade plans to favour
the US over the EU could
see us “lose more than we
gain”, warns Labour’s
Shadow Trade Secretary.
Barry Gardiner added of
the Government: “Now it
has admitted that the
maximum its flagship
trade agreement with the
USA will result in is just
0.16% GDP growth – and
even that is a long way into
the future.”
Previous Treasury anal-
ysis suggested that Brexit
could shrink the UK’s
economy by 4.9%.
Easy test for
Alzheimer’s
A SIMPLE blood test that
diagnoses Alzheimer’s dis-
ease at an early stage could
be available within five
years, a study claims.
Senior author Professor
Adam Boxer of California
University said the test
could tell Alzheimer’s from
mild cognitive impairment
and fronto-temporal
dementia, similar illnesses.
He added: “Individuals
with early Alzheimer’s are
more likely to respond to
many of the new treat-
ments that are being
developed.”
Sadiq in rent
controls vow
SADIQ Khan is demanding
the power to set rent con-
trols in London if he wins
a second term at City Hall.
The Labour Mayor
wants to set up a London
Private Rent Commission
to overhaul tenancy laws.
He believes the May vote
should be a referendum on
the issue – and Govern-
ment should grant him
new powers if he wins.
At a launch today Mr
Khan will say: “The case
for rent controls is now
absolutely undeniable.”
Rents in the capital have
risen by 27% since 2010.
Alton Towers
health scare
THEME park Alton Tow-
ers shut its indoor water
park yesterday after visi-
tors said they felt ill.
Some 39 people
including six children and
some staff reported eye
and throat irritation.
Police, firefighters, para-
medics and an air ambu-
lance raced to the
Staffordshire park but all
39 were discharged
without treatment.
Alton Towers is investi-
gating the cause but said
the incident was not
related to coronavirus.
A SENIOR NHS nurse was fired
after warning the increased work-
load on her pressured staff had
contributed to a patient’s death.
Linda Fairhall, 60, had an unblem-
ished record of almost 40 years’ service
when she turned whistleblower at
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS trust.
After an employment tribunal
upheld her claim of unfair dismissal,
after a fight that took three years and
£30,000 in legal costs, she said:
“I was a victim of politics. I
want to support others
who speak out.”
A nurse since
1979, she became
clinical care coor-
dinator for the
Hartlepool region
in 2013, and was
commended by
the Care Quality
Commission in
- That year she
raised concerns over a
new requirement for
district nurses to monitor
patients’ prescriptions.
She said it meant a sudden increase
of around 1,000 extra visits a month for
her hard-pressed team of 50 nurses
with no extra resources.
Over the next 10 months she
reported 13 matters, alleging the health
or safety of patients and staff was being
or was likely to be put at risk.
After a patient died in 2016 she
claimed it may have been prevented if
her concerns had been addressed. She
told the trust’s care group director Julie
Nurse who warned extra pressure
on staff put lives at risk wins case
spEaking Out
Linda Fairhallunder
funded
Linda raised
concerns on
workloadI was a
victim of
politics. I want
to support
others who
speak outLinda FairhaLL NHS
wHiStleblowerexclusive
By jErEMy arMstrOngPictures: ANDY cOMMiNs