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Baby scan boss suspended after making racist remarks

A senior figure at a UK-wide baby scan service has been suspended by a healthcare regulator after making racist remarks about a Nigerian employee. Jeanette Clewes, who served as the director of ultrasound for the Window to the Womb group, made the comments following complaints from a black sonographer who faced racial harassment and bullying while working at one of the company’s Swansea clinics.

The sonographer, Tina Dilibe, had been subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including being forced to perform cleaning duties, such as vacuuming and mopping, despite her medical role. Additionally, she was threatened with the withdrawal of her immigration sponsorship if she refused to comply. In March, an employment tribunal ruled in Mrs Dilibe’s favour, concluding that the owners of the Swansea franchise, Juliet Luporini and Anthony Woodcock, had racially discriminated against her.

During the tribunal, it was revealed that Ms Clewes had made racist remarks in a conference call with a union representative after learning of Mrs Dilibe’s complaints. Under cross-examination, Ms Clewes admitted to saying, “You have to be careful, these Africans tell lies,” and that “these Africans all have hygiene problems, it is a real problem for us to deal with.”

Employment Judge Claire Sharp expressed astonishment at the fact that Ms Clewes repeated these comments in court and appeared to show no remorse for holding such views. As a result, Judge Sharp anticipated that Ms Clewes would be referred to her regulator to assess whether her views were compatible with her professional registration. Last week, a Health and Care Professions Tribunal panel imposed an 18-month interim suspension on Ms Clewes. Her suspension will be reviewed in April 2024. It was noted that Ms Clewes no longer works for the Window to the Womb group, which operates around 50 clinics across the UK.

The tribunal also heard that Mrs Dilibe had been subjected to further unfair treatment during her employment. She was regularly forced to work 12 days out of a 14-day period, despite her contract specifying only five working days per week. She was also denied proper pay for the extra days worked. In her nine months at the Swansea clinic, she was granted only six days of holiday, all of which were decided by her employers. Judge Sharp concluded that Mrs Dilibe, the only medically qualified staff member at the clinic, had been subjected to “humiliating, offensive, and degrading” treatment by her colleagues.

Following WalesOnline’s coverage of the tribunal, the Race Council Cymru, a non-profit organisation, called for a boycott of the Window to the Womb service, condemning the racism as “utterly reprehensible.”

In response to the tribunal’s findings, a spokesperson for the Window to the Womb group said in March: “The court findings are not consistent with our brand ethos.” Despite these claims, Companies House records indicate that both Ms Luporini and Mr Woodcock remain directors of the Swansea franchise. Ms Luporini, a prominent figure in Swansea, chaired the city’s Business Improvement District from 2009 to 2023 and was previously co-owner of the well-known Kardomah Café.

The company has since stated that although Ms Luporini and Mr Woodcock are still the clinic’s owners, they no longer reside in the UK and are not involved in its day-to-day operations. A spokeswoman for the group added that the clinic had undergone a restructuring, appointed a new management team, and engaged a new HR consultancy to ensure robust procedures are in place to prevent such incidents in the future. Recent audits have reportedly shown high levels of staff satisfaction at the clinic.

When approached, the Swansea clinic declined to comment on the roles of Ms Luporini and Mr Woodcock. However, in March, a spokesperson said: “We at the Swansea clinic of Window to the Womb wish to express our deep concern regarding the tribunal’s findings. We are fully cooperating with our corporate headquarters and relevant authorities to review our practices and policies. This includes taking necessary actions regarding the individuals involved in the tribunal’s findings.”

Mrs Dilibe was awarded £33,611 in compensation for the racial harassment and discrimination she endured during her time at the Swansea clinic.

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