Ex-hospital worker claims she had to leave after reporting abuse

A former hospital worker yesterday filed a constitutional application claiming that she had not been given a fair hearing when she was forced to leave work following a decision of a medical board.

Laura Peregin filed the constitutional application against the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, the Director General for Health, the Superintendent of Mater Dei Hospital and the Attorney General.

She told the court that she had worked for many years at St Luke's Hospital during which time she had obsessively reported any abuses related to wastage and theft. As a result of her behaviour she ended up in a situation whereby she could not work.

Ms Peregin said that, instead of taking action on the basis of the reports she had filed, the authorities had taken action against her. She had been forced to undergo an examination by a medical board, which had decided that she was unfit for work in the public sector.

For the last four years Ms Peregin said she had done everything within her power to be reinstated and to be given financial compensation as a result of the board's unjust decision but to no avail.

She added that she had not been given a fair hearing and that three independent psychiatrists had concluded that she was fit to remain in government service.

Ms Peregin asked the court to declare that she had not been given a fair hearing and to order her reinstatement.

The court was also asked to award her damages.

Lawyer Anġlu Farrugia acted for Ms Peregin.