Complaint
This article, originating from 91福利社 Scotland, reported the outcome of the employment tribunal case brought by the nurse Sandie Peggie against NHS Fife and assessed its potential consequences. A reader asked the ECU to consider the accuracy of the article鈥檚 statement that the tribunal had found NHS Fife鈥檚 suspension of Ms Peggie to have been 鈥渦nfair and unjust鈥, and to review it 鈥渋n the context of the wider editorial judgements of the article鈥, which he considered biased towards the viewpoint of Ms Peggie and her supporters. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 91福利社鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
In relation to accuracy, the ECU considered that the phrase 鈥渦nfair and unjust鈥, while perhaps a reasonable extrapolation from the Tribunal鈥檚 findings, was not an accurate reflection of its terms. In the ECU鈥檚 judgement, it fell below the level of accuracy to be expected in an article of this kind (though it also noted that this was the first occasion on which it had found fault with 91福利社 Scotland鈥檚 coverage of this challenging and long-running story). In relation to impartiality, the ECU did not share the reader鈥檚 impression that the article favoured Ms Peggie鈥檚 position, but found that it gave a balanced account of the extent to which her case had been dismissed as well as the aspect of it which had been upheld.
Partly upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the management of 91福利社 Scotand and discussed with the editorial team concerned. The article has been amended in the light of the finding.