Call For 'Amin's Rule' To Protect NHS Staff

A campaign is under way to make sure NHS employers seek an independent second opinion before firing clinicians — a move prompted by the tragic case of a nurse who took his own life after being dismissed. Dr Narinder Kapur, a long-standing NHS whistleblower, has proposed what he calls “Amin’s rule” in memory of Amin Abdullah. Kapur says an external review at key decision points would have likely prevented the unfair dismissals that ruined careers and, in one case, a life. Kapur, 76, a consultant neuropsychologist and visiting professor at University College London, knows the cost of speaking up. After raising concerns about staff shortages and unsafe working practices at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, he was dismissed in 2010. An employment tribunal later found the sacking unfair — a finding Kapur won only after spending about £300,000, money that came from selling his house and dipping into his NHS pension. He has taken his proposal to senior figures in the NHS, including NHS England’s chief executive, Jim Mackey. Kapur argues that when trust panels make dismissal decisions without outside scrutiny, mistakes happen — and those mistakes can be devastating. The campaign also highlights inequalities in how disciplinary processes are used. Staff from minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely to face disciplinary action, and some clinical groups fear retaliation if they raise patient-safety concerns. Kapur points to this imbalance as another reason why external oversight is needed. Beyond Amin’s rule, Kapur is pushing for wider protections. He wants the framework used to ensure fairness for doctors and dentists extended to all healthcare workers, and he suggests the Care Quality Commission should be split: one body focused on patient safety, another on staff welfare. He also calls for limits on a legal route organisations sometimes use to dismiss employees for “some other substantial reason” — a reason cited in over 10,600 NHS dismissals between April 2010 and September 2018. The proposals aim to protect whistleblowers and minority staff, and Kapur stresses the link between staff wellbeing and patient care: people who feel punished for speaking up are less likely to raise problems that put patients at risk. NHS England says it is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to bolster protections for whistleblowers and encourages staff to use Freedom to Speak Up guardians if they have concerns. The debate now centres on whether fresh safeguards — and an independent check before dismissal — can be introduced to prevent future harm. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article