We are raising £1000 towards the legal costs of NHS whistleblower, Ken Hall. His career has been wrecked, and his case is a matter of public interest

Radiographer Ken Hall has served the Worcestershire public well. In 2014 he repeatedly warned managers of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust that there was a backlog of x-rays and scans un-examined by those qualified to do so. Far from being pleased by his public spiritedness, his managers made his life intolerable. Relations broke down between them, and Ken resigned.

Ken obtained a job elsewhere, but he continued to warn about the Trust’s inability to deal properly with x-rays and scans. He was ignored. Meanwhile the Trust made efforts to silence him by taking petty complaints about him to his professional body, the Health and Care Professions Council. These complaints did not affect his skills as a radiographer or his treatment of patients.

At his first hearing in February 2016 Ken gave evidence that he estimated that the Trust was running a backlog of about 9000 unreported images. This warning was ignored. They brought further allegations to a second HCPC hearing in December 2016, and there Ken was struck off. He can no longer earn a living as a radiographer. He and his wife, Karla, have two children under three years of age.

Meanwhile Ken had been vindicated as a whistleblower. At his instigation the CQC carried out an unannounced inspection at Worcester Hospital on 27th July. They discovered a huge backlog beyond even Ken’s of 25,622 unreported images. Ken was vindicated, but it did nothing to stop his victimisation.

Ken is appealing in the High Court on 27th March against the HCPC decision to strike him off. He needs £1000 to ensure he has legal representation. The CQC report makes clear that many Worcestershire patients have been damaged by the failure to interpret their x-rays and scans. The deliberate cover up of this by the Trust must be heard in court. This is a matter of public interest.