Ex-NHS chief wins £1.4m over unfair dismissal
Ex-NHS chief wins £1.4m over unfair dismissal
A former NHS chief at Countess of Chester NHS Trust wins £1.4m in damages for unfair dismissal after an employment tribunal found board members conspired to oust her; taxpayers face a multi-million bill.
Dr Susan Gilby, who led the Countess of Chester NHS Trust, was suspended in December 2022 amid a bitter governance row. An employment tribunal later ruled that board members conspired to remove her, setting the stage for a historic settlement.
On confirmation of the settlement, the trust said the final cost to taxpayers, including court costs, could be around £3m. The payout stands among the NHS's largest to a former employee.
Gilby has repeatedly said the case was never about money. She described a moment when a director told her it was "time for you to go", as part of a broader plan by colleagues to force her out.
She recalled being offered a pay-off equating to 16 months of salary while moving to a non-job with NHS England, on condition she drop her concerns about the chairman's behaviour. She says that demand was a "red line" she could not cross.
Tribunal findings described 'Project Countess'—led by the chairman and other directors—as the mechanism to push Gilby out. The case has drawn attention to governance and culture at the trust.
The Countess of Chester NHS Trust is also known for employing Lucy Letby in recent years, a detail that has kept the focus on the hospital's leadership issues.
Gilby thanked supporters and urged reforms to stop similar episodes in the NHS, adding that she hoped the chapter is closed and that she would move forward.
