Care inspector says she was forced out

A former care standards officer has claimed she was forced to leave
her job with the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales because it
failed to provide her with proper training and supervision.

Maryse Newnham also claimed the CSIW kept an investigation into a
complaint she made against a line manager secret and barred her
from applying for another job with the inspectorate. The first
hearing of her case for constructive dismissal took place in
Cardiff last week. She resigned from her job at the Pontypool
office last year.

Newnham’s barrister Robert Vernon told the tribunal: “It is clearly
the responsibility of an employer to organise training for its
employees. But in this case, the employer was passing the buck.”
.

Her complaint of bullying and harassment made against her line
manager was rejected without reason even though a report
acknowledged there had been management problems. Upon returning
from sick leave, Newnham was offered another role and was rejected
for a nursing home inspector’s job.

Mark Morgan, representing the CSIW, said there had been a detailed
investigation into Newnham’s complaints and listed instances where
she had been supervised and training opportunities made available.
He said it was right to advise Newnham not to apply for the
inspector vacancy while in another post.