Rose Gibb faces an agonising wait to hear if she has won her legal battle with former employer Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust.

At the end of four days of complex proceedings, Mr Justice Treacy said he wanted to reserve judgement on the breach of contract case.

Depending on the outcome, Ms Gibb could get the outstanding£175,000 of her compensation agreement, a lower sum - or nothing at all. The case is already thought to have cost the trust£90,000 in legal fees.

On the last morning of the trial on Friday, Ms Gibb's counsel Oliver Segal argued that an "injustice" had been done which the court should remedy.

Ms Gibb left the trust days before the publication of a critical Healthcare Commission report: she had agreed a compensation package with the trust of around£175,000 plus six months' salary in lieu of notice. The trust has since said it will pay her the six months' salary but not the larger amount as this was beyond its legal powers.

'Misled'

But Mr Segal argued Ms Gibb had been misled when she agreed the settlement, as she had been told that the payment was properly authorised when it had not been approved by the Department of Health or Treasury.

Mr Justice Treacy said he wanted to reserve judgement because of the "complex and substantial arguments" involved. Counsels' closing submissions took almost two days, involving detailed legal argument and references to a large number of other cases.

Ms Gibb was not in court on Friday.

Topics