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In a significant victory for fairness and justice, Professor Tanweer Ahmed, a muslim senior clinical director, has been awarded a substantial compensation of £256,031 after an employment tribunal unequivocally found that United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust subjected him to race discrimination, victimisation, and unfair dismissal. This landmark ruling exposes severe systemic failures within the Trust and brings to light the challenges faced by BAME professionals within the NHS, Daily Dazzling Dawn understands.
Prof. Ahmed, who is in his late 50s and of Pakistani background, was unjustly sacked by the Trust following what an employment judge described as "laughable" bullying allegations. The tribunal heard compelling evidence that the disciplinary process against him was riddled with "so many flaws" and that his dismissal was a direct result of discriminatory practices, particularly after the Trust's HR director, Martin Rayson, chillingly accused him of "playing the race card."
A Career Built on Contribution and Innovation
Prof. Ahmed joined the Trust in 2003, making significant contributions as the director of Lincoln Clinical Research Facility, director of research innovation, and chairperson of the BAME staff network. His dedication to both clinical excellence and fostering an inclusive environment for ethnic minority staff was evident throughout his distinguished career.
Baseless Allegations and a Flawed Investigation
The unjust ordeal began in June 2018 when Helen Ayre, a researcher working under Prof. Ahmed, made allegations of bullying and inappropriate conduct. Crucially, the tribunal found that Ms. Ayre’s allegations "relied heavily on hearsay" from former colleagues who were no longer with the Trust, and that these claims dated back years, making their credibility highly questionable. The investigation into these historical and unsubstantiated claims only commenced nearly a year later, in early 2019. The panel heard that "most of the allegations were historical, none of the management witnesses remained in [Prof Ahmed’s] department and some of the witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation had left [his] department five to ten years before the complaint was made."
Racial Bias at Play: The "Race Card" Accusation
In February 2019, Prof. Ahmed courageously asserted that Ms. Ayre’s complaint was retaliatory due to performance issues and that he believed the investigation was being pursued because of his race, stating he was "being investigated...because he was BAME and ‘the white person being harsh’."
Despite an investigation report by Jennie Negus that did not recommend disciplinary action, and an agreement from his line manager, Dr. Neil Hepburn, that a development plan was appropriate, Martin Rayson, then Director of HR and Organisational Development and a board member, insisted the matter proceed to a disciplinary hearing.
A deeply concerning email from Mr. Rayson to Dr. Hepburn, cited in the tribunal, revealed his prejudiced mindset: "Tanweer will play the race card I suspect. His reference to the staff survey results... are irrelevant in this case. It is a matter of concern but has no bearing on this investigation into complaints about the way a manager has dealt with his staff." This statement shockingly dismissed Prof. Ahmed’s legitimate concerns about a hospital survey showing 80 percent of BAME staff felt discriminated against, reducing them to an "irrelevant" attempt to "play the race card."
A "Far From Even" Playing Field
The employment tribunal, presided over by Judge Victoria Butler, delivered a damning indictment of the Trust’s conduct. Judge Butler explicitly ruled that there were "glaring flaws" in the Trust’s decision to dismiss Prof. Ahmed and that it "failed to adequately explain how it reached this decision."
She concluded, "The format of the disciplinary hearing was set up in such a way that indicates [the Trust] had already formed the view that the management witnesses were telling the truth. The playing field was far from even and we draw an adverse inference from this."
The tribunal questioned the Trust's inability to explain the leap from the investigation report's findings to the disciplinary hearing, stating, "Given this, we cannot conclude that race was not a factor in the decision to call [Prof Ahmed] to a disciplinary hearing in the first place." Furthermore, the tribunal would have expected Mr. Rayson to explain why Prof. Ahmed’s accusation of racism escalated into a row and why he used the deeply offensive phrase, "play the race card."
Even a witness who worked closely with Prof. Ahmed described the allegations against him as "laughable," yet he was unjustly sacked during a disciplinary hearing.
Whistleblowing and Vindicated Claims
In May 2019, Prof. Ahmed went off sick due to stress, subsequently raising a whistleblowing complaint alleging discrimination. Despite this, the following month, Dr. Hepburn ruled that Prof. Ahmed had displayed a pattern of bullying, victimisation, and inappropriate behaviour—a finding that the tribunal later dismantled.
The compensation awarded to Prof. Ahmed reflects the severe financial and emotional toll of his ordeal, including over £160,000 for loss of earnings and more than £80,000 for loss of pension. This ruling sends a clear message that discrimination within the NHS will not be tolerated and that those who perpetrate it will be held accountable. Prof. Ahmed's resilience and determination have not only secured justice for himself but have also highlighted critical areas for reform within the NHS’s disciplinary and equality policies.
