Tribunal victory consultant quits

Dr Awotona had returned to work in a non-clinical role

A doctor who fought a six-year battle to win her job back after being unfairly sacked has quit.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Feyi Awotona, 50, from Newcastle, was sacked from South Tyneside District Hospital in 1998.

South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust was ordered to reinstate her to her £68,000 a year role after a tribunal ruled that she had suffered racial discrimination.

Dr Awotona was given a non-clinical job after delays in re-skilling procedures.

The consultant's solicitor, Jane Jelly, claimed that the NHS Trust had spent more than £850,000 fighting the case.

In the figure given by Ian Frame, the director of personnel, the trust has at February 2005 spent in excess of £850,000 on this case. Dr Awotona's solicitor, Jane Jelly

She said: "Dr Awotona's withdrawal from the re-instatement process is a decision which she has been forced to take after six-and-half-years of litigation and after two-and-a-half years during which the South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust has steadfastly refused to fully comply with the reinstatement order.

"Whilst it is true the trust has facilitated a non clinical re-entry, it has done so only after several months of correspondence.

"Dr Awotona has been under considerable pressure during this long litigation.

"On the figure given by Ian Frame, the director of personnel, the trust has at February 2005 spent in excess of £850,000 on this case."

A spokesman for South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust said that a sixth-month training placement at Durham was no longer available but Dr Awotona had been recently offered an alternative with the Northumbria Healthcare Trust.

'Extremely disappointing'

Since returning to work in November, Dr Awotona had received a full consultant salary and had attended eight refresher courses costing the trust a total of £2,600, the spokesman said.

Personnel director Ian Frame said: "We are surprised and disappointed that Dr Awotona feels unable to accept the placement at Northumbria, and has taken the decision to withdraw from the re-instatement process.

Trust chairman Peter Davidson added: "It is extremely disappointing, particularly for Dr Awotona's colleagues who have done their best to welcome her back to the Hospital."

The long-running legal battle continues next month when a hearing convenes to decide how much compensation Dr Awotona should be awarded.

The trust has already been ordered to pay Dr Awotona nearly £150,000 in loss of earnings.