On 19 November 2014, the Secretary of State for Health promised a “comprehensive response” regarding my whistleblowing case from his intended review of the NHS and Deanery formal investigations. On 8 December 2014, he then changed his position and proceeded to deny all legal responsibility for my whistle-blowing case and Health Education England relying on the Care Act 2014. He further states in his legal papers that he has “no knowledge of the facts in this matter and holds no documentation.”

In addition, two weeks after a Preliminary Hearing on 25 February 2015, where I was initially argued out of the right to have whistle-blowing protection for my career, Mr Hunt made an order to grant statutory whistle-blowing protection to student nurses. On 5 March 2015, this was incorporated into law by way of Section 43K(1) (cb) of the Employment Rights Act.

If our appeal fails, we will find ourselves in a situation where a student nurse could be in an operating theatre watching an operation and have their career protected by whistle-blowing law. Yet, the senior registrar that might be performing the operation or the registrar that might be giving the anaesthetic would not have their careers protected by whistle-blowing law. This would be a surprising place to find ourselves post Francis and Mid Staffs.