NHS patients put at risk by ‘sham investigations’, says ex-CEO of hospital

Exclusive: Dr Susan Gilby, who won 1.4m bullying payout, says whistleblower protections must be strengthened

Patients are being put at risk by NHS bosses launching sham investigations" into whistleblowers to shut down concerns, a former hospital chief executive who won a 1.4m bullying claim has said.

Dr Susan Gilby took over as chief executive at the Countess of Chester hospital in 2018 after it was rocked by the Lucy Letby case. She was awarded the payout - one of the biggest in NHS history - last month after a tribunal ruled she had been unfairly dismissed after raising concerns about alleged bullying and harassment by the chair of the hospital board.