Partial victory for whistleblowers

Six former care workers at a Bupa care home had reasonable
grounds to complain to the local authority after the home manager
failed to act on their concerns about abuse of residents, an
employment tribunal ruled last week.

The care workers had told the tribunal they felt forced to
resign after sounding the alarm on abuse of residents at Isard
House in Bromley, Kent.

They won their claim that health and safety regulations had been
breached at the care home.

But their claims of unfair dismissal, breach of contract and
deductions from wages were dismissed by the tribunal.

Peter Ludford, director of Bupa Care Homes, said there were
lessons to be learned from the case. “We regularly review our
management policies and administration procedures, support staff
though training and development and actively promote our
whistleblowing policy,” he said.