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PICTURED: Sarah Kuteh lost her job at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent

A NURSE who appealed against being sacked by her employers for talking to patients about Christianity has lost her appeal.

Sarah Kuteh was sacked from her work as a nurse at Darent Valley Hospital, Kent, following complaints from patients about her religious fervour, and her insistence on praying for them although they didn’t ask her to. The actions were in breach of rules issued by the Nursery and Midwifery Council.

The ruling which considered complaints from patients and was issued by the Court
of Appeal, stated she was not unfairly dismissed. One man, a cancer patient, stated that Kuteh told him that the only way to God was through Jesus and she would give him a bible if he didn’t have one and prayed for him intensely.

Another cancer patient said that Kuteh told him he would have a better chance of survival if he prayed.

In a judgement published by the Court of Appeal last week, it stated: "On 20 June 2016, the Complaints Department noted a call from a patient being treated for cancer concerning his assessment by the Claimant on 3 June 2016.

"He had replied 'open minded' to the question on the form concerning religion and alleged the Claimant had told him that the only way he could get to the Lord was through Jesus.

"(She) told him she would give him her bible if he did not have one; gripped his hand tightly and said a prayer that was very intense and went 'on and on'; and asked him to sing Psalm 23 [The Lord is My Shepherd] after which he was so astounded that he had sung the first verse with her.”

Lord Justice Singh added: "The decision to dismiss the Claimant for misconduct was one which the Employment Tribunal concluded fell within the band of reasonable responses open to the Respondent in this case.

"Even having regard to the importance of the right to freedom of religion, it was plainly open to the Employment Tribunal to conclude that this dismissal had not been unfair.

"Similarly, the Employment Appeal Tribunal was plainly correct, in my view, to regard the appeal as having no reasonable prospect of success and therefore in dismissing it.

"For the reasons I have given I would dismiss this appeal."

Following the ruling, Kuteh is in talks with her legal team about next steps.

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