A Catholic chaplain is suing the NHS because he says he was sacked after he answered questions from a patient about Church teaching on marriage.
The Rev. Dr Patrick Pullino, a priest in the Archdiocese of Southwark, is taking action against South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust after he was dismissed from his post as a temporary staff member in January 2020.
The former NHS consultant neurologist, who was ordained in 2019, is pursuing the Trust for harassment, religious discrimination, and victimisation in a case which is due to take place in July at the Croydon Employment Tribunal.
Fr Pullicino said a patient on the mental health ward, who was in a same-sex relationship and who had asked to see a Catholic priest, complained about him after soliciting his opinion about his plans to marry his boyfriend.
The priest answered: “What do you think God would say to you about this?”
Fr Pullicino was later ordered to take an equality and diversity course before he was notified that his contract was being terminated “due to budgetary constraints”.
Vanessa Ford, acting chief executive of the Trust, wrote to the patient to apologise for the conduct of the priest.
In her letter she said: “NHS policy on Equality and Diversity in relation to the complaint supersedes religious standing whilst working and representing the trust.”
The Christian Legal Centre, which is representing Fr Pullicino, 73, has noted that her assertion is inconsistent with the terms of the Equality Act 2010.
Fr Pullicino said: “I am determined to seek justice in this case as how I was treated was unacceptable.
“To see in black and white that my Christian beliefs in marriage, that have been taught for thousands of years, are not on a par with equality and diversity, was shocking.
“I was bullied, forced into a corner and told that I had no rights and therefore could be thrown out following one complaint.
“I believe NHS hierarchy capitulated and were not prepared to tolerate having a chaplain on site who would not affirm what the Catholic Church teaches to be sin.
“There does not appear to be a place for Christian teaching or belief in the NHS. In a truly democratic society where all faiths and beliefs are respected, I would not have been treated as I was.
“I hope my case sends a message to the NHS that true equality and diversity includes Christian teaching and beliefs.
“My case is not an isolated one, there are many Christian chaplains and chaplaincy, not just in the NHS but across institutions whose beliefs are being silenced or forced out entirely. I am taking this stand as I do not want anyone else to go through what I have.”
A decade ago, the then Professor Pullicino was serving as consultant neurologist for East Kent University Hospital NHS Trust when he became one of the most senior medics to blow the whistle on abuses of patients under the Liverpool Care Pathway, an end-of-life care protocol abolished as a “national disgrace” in 2014.
He was accepted as a candidate for priestly ordination after he retired from the NHS and now serves as assistant priest at St Bede’s Church in Clapham Park, London,
According to the Christian Legal Centre, which is representing him, the complaint followed a conversation which took place in August 2019 when the patient asked to go for a walk outside with Fr Pullicino. They were accompanied by another member of staff.
In a 20-minute discussion the patient revealed his intention to marry his boyfriend, and asked the opinion of the priest.
Fr Pullicino says he was not properly informed of the nature of the complaint but in a letter which followed, Ms Ford alleged that he told the patient “you should not be with your husband” and “that you would go to hell”, accusations which the priest strongly denies.
Still in the dark, Fr Pullicino sought clarification on whether an investigation had been launched and was notified that the complaint had been resolved informally, but that he must take an equality and diversity course.
A letter from the Head Chaplain said: “The complaint we discussed in our meeting … is a formal complaint and as a matter of Trust policy this will be retained and kept on a central record for complaints.
“The meeting between us to discuss the complaint is a sufficient outcome provided the actions and discussion we had is carried out. As a result there is no right of appeal.”
Fr Pullicino denied that he had behaved in any way which could be construed as “homophobic” but agreed to undertake the course out of good will.
When he was later dismissed on budget grounds he volunteered to continue to serve without payment as he was the only Catholic chaplain on site.
But he received an email from the Trust saying: “I need you to know that you are currently not authorised to visit the wards or saying Mass [sic] as you are not currently under any terms and conditions or insurance. This will stand until and unless we have agreed in writing for you to have an on-going role in the Trust.”
In a pre-action letter to the Trust, Christian Legal Centre lawyers have argued that the reason for ending Fr Pullicino’s role at the Trust had nothing to do with budgetary cuts.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “How many more of these cases do we need before society wakes up?
“We need to see an end to the ideology of equality and diversity riding roughshod over the Christian faith and treating it with such little respect.
“Christian chaplaincies provide the good news stories and places of safety in so many of our institutions. They should be treated with the respect they deserve. It’s time to end this kind of attack on them.
“This story is one in a long line of stories that sends a chilling message to NHS chaplains that you can no longer respond to questions on human sexuality with standard biblical teaching.
“You must self-censor, affirm at all costs, or face the consequences. We are acting to say that this has to end and will end.”
A spokesperson for the Trust said: “Whilst we can’t comment on active legal proceedings, we are absolutely committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) for all our staff, patients and communities. We have an EDI policy which we actively promote and with which we expect all our staff members to comply. We respect and celebrate all the protected characteristics of our staff, patients and communities equally.
“We take seriously our responsibility to ensure patients’ spiritual needs are met and we oppose any form of discrimination. We seek to protect all of our patients and members of staff in line with the Equality Act 2010.”
(Photograph of Fr Patrick Pullino by Simon Caldwell)
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