Senior Surgeon Wins Key Discrimination Claims Against Teesside NHS Trust...

North Tees Hospital, Stockton on Tees

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust Criticised in Employment Tribunal Judgment

17th May 2026

A senior surgeon on Teesside has succeeded in a race discrimination, harassment and victimisation claim against North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust in a case taking over 12 months before a reserved judgement was reached.

The case, brought by Mr P Bhaskar, a Consultant General and Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon was heard by Newcastle Employment Tribunal, with the reserved judgement Issued by Employment Judge Jeram being made following numerous hearings across January to October 2025, & further deliberations then continuing into February 2026.

The Employment tribunal found several of Mr Bhaskar’s complaints were well founded, including claims of direct race discrimination, harassment related to race, and victimisation. The case involved events within the Trust’s General Surgery and Urology Directorate, including how internal concerns, patient safety reports, grievance matters and GMC referrals were handled.

One key finding related to a meeting held in May 2018, where the tribunal found the Trust disclosed Mr Bhaskar’s identity in connection with patient safety allegations. The tribunal concluded this amounted to harassment related to race. The tribunal also found the Trust directly discriminated against Mr Bhaskar by failing to investigate concerns that another doctor had been selectively reporting incidents involving consultants of Indian origin. Further successful complaints included failures by the NHS Trust to investigate parts of Mr Bhaskar’s grievance, failure to disclose a grievance investigation report in line with policy, and failure to act on a letter sent by Mr Bhaskar in June 2023.

The tribunal also found Mr Bhaskar was victimised when he was told he could not continue in the role of Guardian of Safe Working and was required to step down.

Not all of Mr Bhaskar’s complaints succeeded, with a number of allegations being dismissed, including some relating to clinical investigations, job planning, theatre arrangements and junior support.

The judgement's said to be significant for the embattled local NHS trust, raising questions over governance, equality procedures and how discrimination complaints are being handled within major public bodies, with a further hearing reportedly set to be made at a later date to determine what level of compensation the senior surgeon should receive.