Dr. Pippa Stallworthy, a consultant clinical psychologist from the UK, has been awarded £87,249 in compensation after an employment tribunal found that her NHS employer, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, failed to address her excessive working hours and concerns about patient safety. Dr. Stallworthy worked 13-hour shifts every day for eight months, leading to her resignation in 2019.
The tribunal heard that Dr. Stallworthy, who served as the clinical lead for the Traumatic Stress Service (TSS), faced a dramatic increase in patient referrals, but her warnings about the strain on the team were repeatedly ignored. Despite raising concerns about her working conditions, including the lack of support for her team, management took no significant action.
In her resignation letter, Dr. Stallworthy accused the NHS trust of “systematic management failure” and said both she and the service were “on our knees.” Employment Judge Amanda Hart upheld her claim of constructive unfair dismissal, criticizing the trust for its lack of urgency in addressing the growing demands on the TSS and the risks posed to patient safety.
“We considered that the hours she was working were excessive,” the judge said. “It was clear [Dr. Stallworthy] was working extremely long hours over an eight-month period that had an obvious deterioration on her mental and physical health.”
The tribunal found that the NHS trust had breached its duty of care by failing to address Dr. Stallworthy’s workload and provide necessary support. The judge also rejected the notion that Dr. Stallworthy’s senior position justified management turning a “blind eye” to her excessive working hours.
In response to the ruling, the NHS trust expressed regret over the situation. “Dr. Stallworthy raised some important concerns about her working conditions and potential patient safety concerns, and we are sorry that these were not addressed satisfactorily,” a spokesperson said, adding that the trust has since introduced better processes to support staff and address concerns.
