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Nurse loses fourth employment tribunal against former employer By Christian Duffin A nurse who claimed she was left feeling ‘suicidal’ over the treatment she received from senior staff after raising concerns about patient care has lost a fourth employment tribunal against her former employer. Glenda Rodriquez-Noza worked at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, Wales, for eight years before leaving in 2009 after developing depression. Ms Rodriquez-Noza, who claimed unfair dismissal on the ground of disability discrimination, told a Cardiff employment tribunal earlier this month

she made several complaints about the ‘third world’ treatment of patients that were not acted on. She said, for example, that one patient with a pancreatic disorder was left screaming all night in pain and was ignored by nurses. However, a written judgement last week dismissed Ms Rodriquez-Noza’s claims. Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board welcomed the judgement and said that Ms Rodriquez-Noza had also lost three previous tribunal claims of unfair dismissal on the grounds of racial discrimination, bullying and harassment.

Primary school children at the launch of the site

Website will help to keep children healthy School nurses from Leicestershire have developed a website for children packed with information, games and videos about staying healthy. Health for Kids contains sections on second-hand smoke, bullying, constipation and living with allergies. There are four themed ‘worlds’ dealing with staying healthy, feelings, illness and getting help.

The £20,000 project was jointly funded by Leicestershire County Council and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. Maggie Clarke, a professional lead for school nurses at the trust, had the idea for the website. She said: ‘We went into schools and spoke to children – they were with us all the way.’

‘Dismissing this latest claim as well, the tribunal found that the health board had actually supported Ms Rodriquez-Noza during her illness, and at no time sought to end her employment.’

Serious failings

The hearing follows a separate investigation into the care of older people at the Princess of Wales and Neath Port Talbot Hospitals, which uncovered serious failings. The review, led by nurse and dementia expert June Andrews, was carried out between December 2013 and April 2014 following complaints about care by families and carers. It noted examples of ‘exemplary practice’ at both hospitals. But it concluded nursing staff at the Princess of Wales Hospital appeared not to know how to improve common problem areas in older people’s care, such as management of continence, delirium and nutrition. The review prompted health minister Mark Drakeford to set up a task force to undertake urgent spot checks on the care of older people in all Welsh district hospitals. In a progress report to the Welsh assembly last week, Mr Drakeford said that initial spot checks revealed ‘too many’ wards are failing to store medication securely. While ‘no significant’ concerns had emerged over patient hydration, continence needs or night-time sedation, Mr Drakeford said that medicines storage was a cause for concern. Immediate action was taken to put new locks on cabinets and changes have been made to the signing process when medicines are given to patients. ‘The spot checks are continuing and will ultimately involve 44 wards in 13 hospitals,’ he added.

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