Medic left 'explicit' post it notes for female hospital colleagues

A clinical scientist who left "crude and offensive" post-it notes for his female colleagues has been sacked for sexual harrasment.

James Faulkner was accused of "reprehensible" conduct towards much younger women before he was dismissed from Alder Hay Children's Hospital in Liverpool in February after 14 years of employment.

However, Faulkner has launched legal action against the NHS trust, claiming the true reason for his dismissal was because he had acted as a whistleblower over neonatal patient safety concerns.

Alder Hey said it could not comment while legal proceedings were continuing.

Managers had concluded that Faulkner, aged in his 40s, had "caused female colleagues to feel vulnerable in his presence inside and outside work including when picking up a child at the same school attended by the claimant's children".

Among the notes he wrote, one was worded: "[Colleague's] face looks like a rabbit that has been run over."

Others were offensive and overtly sexual in nature.

Alder Hey managers found that the post-it notes had a "profound impact", and that Faulkner had failed to apologise or take "ownership or accountability".

The details emerged in an employment tribunal judgment after Faulkner, who worked as a senior clinical perfusion scientist, applied for interim relief until a full hearing could take place later this year.

That would have meant Alder Hey restoring his contract or paying his wages until the final outcome was determined.

However, employment judge Dawn Shotter refused the application, stating that in her view Faulkner's case had "little or no reasonable prospect of success".

In the ruling she said the evidence suggested he had been fired based on multiple complaints from more than 10 witnesses.

She also noted that while Faulkner denied most allegations, he had accepted making certain sexual comments.

The tribunal heard the disciplinary process began after a number of female staff members came forward.

In total Faulkner ended up facing three separate allegations of sexual harassment from June 2024, November 2024 and March and April 2025.

The tribunal heard some witnesses had refused to even attend an internal disciplinary hearing in January this year because "they felt intimidated" by Faulkner.

Faulkner told his managers that when he made the comments he believed he was in "in a safe space with people I thought were my friends".

He said: "I admit I left myself wide open for it, and I have no one to blame but myself in terms of this.

"I know it is a gamble letting me back in, but I will tell you what, I will make sure I repay everything in terms of working behaviour. I am sorry."

Judge Shotter said Faulkner had not argued that he was being "punished" for whistleblowing until after he was sacked.

However, when he filed his legal claim he argued he had been forced out on a pretext, "orchestrated" by his line manager.

The trust, however, argued there was "not a shred of evidence" that Faulkner's line manager had influenced the decision to fire him in any way.

Judge Shotter said: "I agree, and take the view that on the evidence before me it is apparent numerous employees raised serious complaints against the claimant over a period of time."

She said evidence suggested Faulkner was in fact dismissed for allegations "ranging from offensive sexist remarks and comments to controlling and inappropriate behaviours towards females".

Judge Shotter ordered a new preliminary hearing in October this year where arguments will be heard over whether to strike out Faulkner's claim or allow it to proceed to a full trial.

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