Dr Gilby took her case for unfair dismissal to an employment tribunal after she was suspended in December 2022.

In February 2025, the tribunal ruled that Dr Gilby had been forced out of her job after lodging a formal whistleblowing complaint about the trust's then chairman Ian Haythornthwaite.

Dr Susan Gilby said: ‘I am deeply saddened that having raised a protected disclosure in good faith, I was treated in such an appalling manner that I had no choice other than to seek justice through the employment tribunal. I am yet to receive any meaningful apology from the trust for the harm caused to me or for the needless ending of my career.'

She added: ‘The trust has failed to condemn unequivocally, the actions of Ian Haythornthwaite and the members of the board who colluded with him in these matters. I did everything I could to inform senior leaders in the NHS all the way to the top, of the reality of the situation. They choose to do nothing. These unacceptable behaviours, along with their conduct of the case, has damaged not only me but also the taxpayer who has every right to expect custodians of the public purse to act in their best interests and not in the pursuit of cheque book litigation.

‘The settlement sum compensates me for lost salary and pension as well as including a sum for personal injury. However, no amount of money can compensate me for the devastation of losing my career in this appalling manner.'

In response, BMA council chair Dr Tom Dolphin, said: ‘The horrific scale of this cover-up shows the length that some trusts are willing to go to in an attempt to silence doctors and the very real threat that unfortunately remains for many working in the NHS who want to raise concerns about patient safety. If we want to transform the corrosive NHS culture where some trust directors and board members are more concerned with their organisation's reputation that patient safety, the Government must prioritise the long-overdue regulation of senior NHS managers.

'As distressing an experience this has been for Dr Gilby, her example should also provide doctors with some hope that, in some cases, those responsible will be held to account and justice can prevail in the end. However, it remains clear that the protections afforded to doctors raising concerns are woefully inadequate and legislation in this area is still not fit for purpose. We need to see radical change in how whistleblowers are protected and treated in the NHS.'

In a statement, the Countess of Chester NHS Trust, said: 'The trust can confirm that the employment tribunal has been resolved through a mutually agreed settlement.'

A further hearing will reportedly take place in February to consider legal costs.