First Scots sacking seeks employment tribunal

The first NHS chief executive to be sacked in Scotland is to take his case to an employment tribunal.

Murdo MacLennan was dismissed in his absence from the£70,000 post as chief executive of NHS Western Isles board at a disciplinary hearing last week.

He had been off sick for nearly a year with stress and anxiety, but had said he was fit to return in February.

But the board immediately gave him a 12-page dossier of complaints and set a disciplinary hearing for 4 March. The hearing was to be chaired by board chair David Currie.

Institute of Health Management Scottish secretary Donald McNeill criticised the process which led to the dismissal, and said Mr MacLennan would apply for an employment tribunal.

He said the board's timetable was too tight and that it had not provided documents to back up claims, which included financial mismanagement and poor leadership.

The board was immediately asked to endorse the decision, therefore cutting off Mr MacLennan's chance of appealing to it. Neither Mr MacLennan or his IHM representatives attended the hearing and Mr MacLennan was unavailable for comment.

Board interim chief executive Dick Manson, who was seconded last year by the Scottish Executive, argued that due process had been followed: 'I am confident the board has followed national procedures.'

An NHS Scotland source told HSJ: 'This is the first NHS chief executive to be sacked in Scotland - they made sure they got the process right.'