Winchester Doctor Martyn Pitman Prepares for Three-Week Tribunal Against Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Key Highlights :
For four-and-a-half years, Winchester doctor Martyn Pitman has been embroiled in a dispute with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT). After being dismissed, he is now preparing for a three-week tribunal against the Trust, which has denied that Mr Pitman was fired for whistleblowing and raising concerns about patient and staff safety.
Speaking ahead of the tribunal, the much-loved obstetrics and gynaecology consultant of 20 years, said: “The trust has repeatedly tried to achieve postponement of the tribunal, which was very concerning. It feels a bit surreal, after such a long wait, that it’s now actually happening.” Mr Pitman, 57, is hoping to achieve three things from the tribunal: answers, accountability, and assurance that no other staff members will be treated in the same manner.
The doctor has been overwhelmed with support from former colleagues and patients, with more than 1,600 people now part of the Friends of Martyn Pitman group which was created following Mr Pitman’s dismissal in March. Mr Pitman said: “The support has been absolutely incredible and at times overwhelming. Imposed professional isolation has been one of the most damaging impositions. The documented support for me has counteracted periods of self-doubt.”
After the Winchester consultant’s appearance on Good Morning Britain (GMB), the trust implemented a series of changes to demonstrate support for employees raising concerns. Changes include the launch of Culture Week featuring a Big Conversation event designed to encourage HHFT staff to speak up, a new cultural ambition statement and Freedom to Speak Up reminders.
HHFT then posted photos of three new murals, one at each hospital site, devoted to the new cultural ambition: “We have a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where we all belong and where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.”
On the same day that Mr Pitman appeared on ITV breakfast show GMB, the trust released a statement. It said: “Dismissal is always a last resort and since Hampshire Hospitals was formed 11 years ago, no member of staff has ever been dismissed for whistleblowing or raising concerns over patient safety; and they never will be. Mr Pitman has not been actively working at the hospital for two years and the questions surrounding his dismissal will be resolved at an employment tribunal later this year.”
After months of the British Medical Association pressurising the rust to release a statement on Martyn Pitman’s dismissal, Mr Pitman posted a statement himself, emailing GPs and sharing on social media as he felt his colleagues were owed the truth about his departure. His dismissal notice on X, formerly known as , has received around 300,000 views.
The three-week employment tribunal starts on Monday, September 25 at West Hampshire Magistrates Court in Southampton. As the much-loved doctor prepares to face the tribunal, his supporters continue to rally around him, hoping that the truth will be revealed and that lessons will be learnt from his case.
