Lesley Donlon was sacked from Charing House care home in Gillingham

by Rebecca Hughes

A care home worker who claims she was fired for whistle-blowing has taken her employers to a tribunal.

Lesley Donlon, 31, of Derwent Way, Rainham, was sacked from Charing House care home last January.

The healthcare assistant claims she was fired for alerting health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to problems in the home in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, which included a shortage of staff and poor food.

But her employers, Charing Gardens, claim they dismissed her for eight matters of gross misconduct.

It is said to include throwing residents' underwear between herself and another colleague in front of the resident; refusal to help a male colleague with taking a female resident to the toilet; taking unofficial cigarette breaks; refusing to help another colleague in taking another resident to the toilet; "blatant disregard" of infection control and dress code policy when reminded on two occasions to tie her hair back; failure to report bad practice following a food fight between staff which involved squirting cream in the corridors; texting or using her phone while in a client's bedroom; and failure to follow
company policies and procedures.

This week Mrs Donlon, who had been employed at the home for five
months, went before an employment tribunal in an attempt to get her job back and a minimum of £50,000 in compensation and loss of earnings.

The case continues.