A WHISTLEBLOWING NHS radiographer was landed with a bill of £800 for a postponed legal hearing.

Former FGH worker Sue Allison’s fees were subsequently reduced to just over £700 by her counsel’s chambers when her preliminary hearing at Manchester Employment Tribunal was postponed due to flooding.

Ms Allison’s was one of four cases delayed between October 8 and 9, while dozens were re-directed, because of a rooftop water tank leak. A tribunals service spokesman apologised for “the inconvenience caused in this case”.

This is the second delay to Ms Allison’s hearing, which, first set to take place in April, has been rescheduled for November 27. She intends to seek compensation from the Employment Tribunal for the costs incurred last month.

“It’s not a level playing field, this business,” Ms Allison stressed. “The odds are stacked against the claimant with hidden costs dotted all along the long road to getting a claim heard. This is why so few whistleblowers win”.

Recently-retired MP Sir Norman Lamb told Parliament in July that there is “an ‘inequality of arms’” when NHS whistleblowers find themselves up against firms that can draw on “seemingly endless” reserves of public money.

The trust which runs Furness General Hospital has already spent more than £20,000 fighting Ms Allison’s case. Morecambe Bay NHS Trust (UHMBT) also spent almost £100,000 fighting surgeon Peter Duffy’s detriment claim.

Ms Allison resigned from UHMBT a fortnight ago after she said a grievance appeal hearing was held 10 months late. Ms Allison had continued to work at UHMBT after pursuing her claim, but said this was “the last straw”. She explained: “I didn’t feel my position was tenable anymore. I’ve lost all confidence in the trust”.

David Wilkinson, director of people at UHMBT said: “Sue Allison’s appeal was received by the Trust on January 25, 2019. A date was set for the appeal hearing on 18 April, 2019, but subsequently had to be postponed due to the unavailability of one of the panel members.

“A number of other dates were tentatively booked but were postponed due to either the unavailability of panel members or Sue’s representative until a final date was set for October 15, 2019.”