THE Hampshire NHS Trust has denied claims that a much-loved Winchester doctor was fired for blowing the whistle on patient safety.

Hundreds of people have shown their support for maternity consultant and obstetrician Martyn Pitman after he was dismissed by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) at the beginning of March.

The doctor who’s been admirably described by former patients and colleagues claims he was fired for raising concerns on patient safety due to issues such as dwindling staff numbers and faulty equipment.

But following Mr Pitman’s appearance on ITV breakfast show Good Morning Britain the trust has shut down the doctor’s reasoning.

READ MORE: Sacked doctor Martyn Pitman hits out at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust

The statement posted by HHFT on Tuesday, June 27 said: “Dismissal is always a last resort and since Hampshire Hospitals was formed 11 years ago, no member of staff has ever been dismissed for whistleblowing or raising concerns over patient safety; and they never will be. Mr Pitman has not been actively working at the hospital for two years and the questions surrounding his dismissal will be resolved at an Employment Tribunal later this year.

“We actively encourage our staff to raise any concerns they have in a number of different ways and support those who do so. The trust ensured that all issues raised by Mr Pitman were thoroughly and impartially investigated, including in some instances through external review. Every effort was made to repair his relationships with the maternity and clinical colleagues in question – efforts which were unfortunately unsuccessful.

SEE ALSO: Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust fire 'life-saving' doctor Martyn Pitman

“We are increasingly concerned that Mr Pitman’s representation of the reasons for his dismissal could discourage others from raising important issues.

“Patient safety remains our top priority, and our maternity teams work exceptionally hard together to provide the best care to our patients. We are proud to be fully recruited to midwives and of the progress being made to offer the best possible service to those in our care.”

The high-profile interview alongside former patient and TV star Sarah Parish has attracted around 500 more members to the Facebook group Friends of Martyn Pitman, with approximately 1,500 people now rallying around the doctor on Facebook in addition to 100,000 views on Twitter.