Police investigate historic tribunal case withdrawal

In his report into Jimmy Savile’s involvement at Broadmoor Hospital from 1968-2004, investigation team head Bill Kirkup called for the police to examine the circumstances of the tribunal case.

The tribunal case was withdrawn after a nurse “threatened to make public embarrassing revelations about the hospital’s management”, according to Mr Kirkup’s report, published last month.

The report added that the nurse was reported to have had a sexual relationship with a female patient and was dismissed for unprofessional conduct.

She appealed and lodged an industrial tribunal case.

Documents at the time suggested the nurse’s tribunal statement included allegations about the “personal conduct” of Broadmoor’s then general manager, Alan Franey, “involving herself and other members of staff”, the report stated.

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The case, which took place in 1997, was subsequently withdrawn and Mr Kirkup notes that “remarkably” the investigation team was unable to find “either any documentation about it or anybody who can remember why the case was dropped”.

In his recommendations Mr Kirkup called for the incident to be investigated.

He wrote: “We are particularly concerned that we cannot confidently exclude the possibility that an irregular payment was made to settle an impending tribunal case at which embarrassing personal allegations would have become public. We recommend that NHS Protect and the police investigate this possibility.”

Thames Valley Police confirmed to HSJ that they are investigating the matter.

A spokesman for West London Mental Health Trust said: “The relevant authorities have been passed information about a possible irregular payment and we await the outcome of their investigations.”