SEVERAL directors of an East Lancashire health trust had expressed frustrations with their chief executive less than six months into her posting, an employment tribunal heard.

Fran Foster, who is medical director at Calderstones NHS Foundation Trust, voiced her fears to medical director Paula Braynion and chairman John Berry over the management style of Karen Wilson and the progress of a crucial possible merger with a similar organisation in Oxfordshire, the Manchester hearing was told.

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Mrs Wilson is claiming unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and a public interest defence involving whistleblowing claims against the Whalley-based learning disabilities trust, amid allegations that she has made about a prevailing “macho” culture and allegded misogyny.

Accusing her of failing to have a strategic vision for the merger, with the Ridgeway Partnership, Mrs Braynion said: “None of us knew what was in Karen’s mind.”

But David Gilroy, representing Mrs Wilson, outlined a report by an independent external consultant, Richard Ellis, in which he claimed delays in the merger bid were caused by directors failing to meet deadlines and being “slow” to understand the significance of the potential deal.

Another consultant Chris Hannah, who conducted one-to-one interviews with the trust board, provided some feedback to the tribunal on chairman Mr Berry, describing him as a “misogynist” who came from a “high pressure, high rewards” background revolving around the “golf club and back-slapping”.

Mrs Wilson alleges that Mr Berry cracked derogatory jokes about homosexuals, oversaw a “jobs for the boys culture” and touched a HR director’s bottom after a works away day.

Joanne Connolly, representing Mr Berry, told the hearing that her client had headed the panel, which had appointed both Fran Foster and Paula Braynion and he had helped to promote equality within the board.

The chief executive was sacked by the trust’s nominations committee after a vote of no confidence was passed at an executive board meeting in April 2012, while she was away from work suffering from stress.

(Proceeding)