An NHS communications executive received £13,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled his dismissal was unfair. Jon Fisher was dismissed by University Hospitals Dorset in 2024 following an incident in which he inadvertently showed a female colleague a video on his phone that included a thumbnail image of pornography.

During a work interaction, Fisher was sharing a video of his daughter with colleague Yaluska Cox when the thumbnail containing explicit content appeared on his screen. This incident was cited in the hospital trust’s decision to terminate his employment. Fisher subsequently challenged the dismissal, arguing that the process leading to his sacking was flawed.

The tribunal found in Fisher’s favor, concluding that the trust's investigation into the matter lacked proper procedure and fairness. It determined that the dismissal was unjustified, leading to the award of £13,000 in damages to Fisher.

University Hospitals Dorset has not publicly commented on the ruling. The case highlights the complexities surrounding disciplinary actions linked to the accidental display of inappropriate material in the workplace and the importance of thorough and fair investigative processes in employment disputes.