Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust confirmed today that the disciplinary appeal hearings in respect of allegations against the former Chief Executive, Jonathan Parry, and the former Director of Human Resources, Sharon Partington, have now concluded.

The independent panels that heard the appeals determined the original decisions to dismiss should be upheld.

The panels’ recommendations were fully accepted by the Trust Board.

Mr Parry was dismissed in October 2016 for gross misconduct. A disciplinary panel had reviewed 21 allegations of misconduct. It found evidence on 11 counts of misconduct, 7 of which amounted to gross misconduct.  The appeal panel, however, determined that Mr Parry’s appeal was upheld in part, finding that, of the 11 counts of misconduct originally upheld, 5 amounted to gross misconduct and the remaining 6 amounted to misconduct.

Mrs Partington chose to retire from the Trust’s employment prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process.  However, due to the nature of the allegations and her seniority, the Trust was obliged to complete the disciplinary process, asking a disciplinary panel to consider what, if any action, would have been taken if the individuals had remained employed by the Trust.

Following Mrs Partington’s disciplinary hearing, it was determined that she would have been dismissed as a consequence of gross misconduct had she remained in employment. 

The hearing reviewed 8 allegations of misconduct.  The disciplinary panel found evidence on 6 allegations of misconduct, one of which amounted to gross misconduct. The findings of the appeal panel were that the sanction of gross misconduct should be overturned and replaced with a finding of 3 counts of misconduct.