A CORNWALL hospital chief was unable to fight serious accusations of "jokey and laddish" behaviour because they were never spelled out to him, a tribunal heard yesterday.

The damaging allegations had been made about John Watkinson, former chief executive of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT), in a highly critical report about his overall leadership of the organisation. But an employment tribunal heard that the personal comments about his behaviour remained anonymous and un-investigated, despite an appeal and the threat of legal action.

The report had been ordered following revelations in September 2008 concerning Mr Watkinson's previous employment at Bromley Hospital Trust in Kent. The independent panel recruited to look at the situation at the RCHT subsequently judged it was "heading towards corporate failure", prompting the dismissal of Mr Watkinson.

However, Jo Perry, former director of human resources for the RCHT, conceded to an employment tribunal deciding whether Mr Watkinson was unfairly ousted, that the specific allegations regarding his behaviour were never put to him.

The former chief executive maintains that the decision to get rid of him was driven by the Strategic Health Autority because he opposed the transfer of Upper Gastro-Intestinal cancer services from Cornwall to Plymouth. However, the RCHT say he was fired because of concerns over his stewardship at the trust.

The hearing continues.