Editor's blog Thursday 18th August 2011: John Watkinson wins as RCHT loses 'whistleblower' appeal

John Watkinson has won his former employer Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust's employment tribunal appeal against his status as a whistleblower, HSJ reports.

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Congratulations to Mr Watkinson on standing firm in this matter.

Longstanding Health Policy Insight readers will remember that we covered Watkinson's original 2010 tribunal victory here with reference to the employment tribunal's criticisms of the involvement of NHS South West strategic health authority and its CEO Sir Ian Carruthers.

That editorial elicited this response from NHS South West, criticising our "inaccurate and offensive" coverage.

According to HSJ's reporting of RCHT chair Martin Watts' comments, the trust 'now considers the matter closed', suggesting that it does not plan to appeal further.

Sir Ian Carruthers is now CEO-designate of NHS South Of England clustered strategic health authority.