The former chief executive of the Information Centre for health and social care has lost her bid to overturn an agreement that prevented her speaking about her departure.

Denise Lievesley claimed she was made a scapegoat by the Department of Health for the controversial public-private venture Dr Foster Intelligence.

She told Leeds employment tribunal she had consistently raised concerns about the deal between the Information Centre and Dr Foster. She felt she had been vilified after her departure from the centre was linked to heavy criticism of the way the company was set up, including a report by the public accounts committee.

In his ruling, judge Colin Grazin dismissed Professor Lievesley's bid to claim unfair dismissal and overturn a "compromise agreement" with the centre that ensured her a£65,825 payout in lieu of notice.

The Information Centre said both it and the DH refuted all allegations made by Professor Lievesley at the hearing. It said she was not a scapegoat for the public accounts committee's report and any concerns she had had about the joint venture were satisfied when she signed off the deal on behalf of the centre.

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