In June 2010 lawyer Kate Levy asked a doctor to change the details about the death of 20-year-old John Moore-Robinson, who had died after a mountain bike accident on Cannock Chase in 2006.
Taken to Stafford Hospital an x-ray revealed Mr Moore-Robinson had broken ribs. However, even though he was vomiting and in agony, a junior doctor failed to realise his spleen was ruptured.
Sent home with painkillers, Mr Moore-Robinson died several hours later.
Consultant Ivan Phair subsequently produced a report for the coroner stating that in his opinion the death was “avoidable” and there was “a high probability that the level of care delivered was negligent”.
At the time Ms Levy was a board secretary and head of legal services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
After reading Mr Phair’s report she sent him a memo, urging him to “avoid stressing possible failures on the part of the trust” which, she said, might cause further distress to the family and lead to adverse publicity.
However, after a Sunday newspaper revealed details of the alleged attempted cover-up two years ago, Ms Levy was first suspended and then sacked.
Losing an appeal against her dismissal, Ms Levy then elected to take the Trust to an employment tribunal, arguing that her guiding principal had always been to act in the best interests of her employer.
The Trust has now conceded she was wrongfully and unfairly dismissed.
Ms Levy has been awarded £103,000 in compensation. She said:
“I have always maintained that my actions were entirely consistent with my duties as a lawyer, and that I was not in breach of contract or otherwise guilty of any misconduct.”
Mr Moore-Robinson’s father, Frank, condemned the award as “morally criminal”.
