About Me

My name is Deeqo Omar, a Band 6 HCPC registered specialist Biomedical Scientist in Haematology & Transfusion with over 12 years’ experience in the field.

About The Case

In February 2014, I joined St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

As a Black Muslim woman, I have never felt equal to individuals of other races, and I have always felt less favoured including my other black colleagues. We are often the last people to be rotated to new sections and the first to be removed from them, even without full training or signed off competencies, not to mention the smear campaign. For a while, I accepted this treatment, even though the Trust’s policies that all staff should be treated fairly and equally, regardless of their background. This is often stated but rarely practiced.

In August 2016, I went on maternity leave to have my first child. When I returned to work in August 2017, the less favourable treatment intensified as I could no longer work night shifts as a new mother. The Trust used my unavailability as an excuse to prevent me from carrying out the required training.

In October 2018, I went on maternity leave to have my child. While being on maternity leave, I decided to extend my time off by taking a 23-month unpaid career break to stay longer with my children. Upon asking my employer to confirm that upon returning, I would return to the same position and hours, I faced prolonged delays and difficulties. It took eight months for the Trust to either approve or reject my request, leaving me unable to plan my life.

I returned to work in late 2021 despite having a 4-month-old baby that I was still breastfeeding as I was told by my Site Manager that my post would no longer be available if I did not return within 23 months.

Upon returning to work in late September 2021, I received no support. I used my tea and lunch breaks to express milk for my baby to take home because he would not take formula. I did not complain or asked extra break time but kept a low profile to avoid further scrutiny.

Almost four years later, I still have not been fully trained in even one out of the five sections of Haematology Department despite doing the job on a daily basis. This is necessary in-house training that is legally required for me to carry out my job. Without this training, it is possible that patients’ lives are at risk.

According to regulations, staff who are away more than 6 months should undergo refresher training and renew their competencies. Despite doing the actual work, I was not provided with proper refresher training, and my competency documents were not signed—even though two senior Advanced Biomedical Scientists were actively training and signing competencies in Transfusion upon my return. I was not a priority."

In late March 2022, while performing cross-match (testing patient cells against donor cells for compatibility), the Transfusion section manager informed me in front of other staff that she was transferring me to the Diagnostic Haematology section because there was no one available to retrain me fully and check my competencies, as the focus was on a newly rotated colleague (White Female British). This colleague was placed in Transfusion section after me, was from another Trust in London, and this was her first rotation in Blood Transfusion. She claimed there was no time for my refresher training, despite me having worked at the Trust since 2014.

On late March 2022, I made a protected disclosure when I sent an email to my manager, explaining how important completing my training was for my career progression and patient care. She dismissed my concerns and insisted on transferring me to Diagnostic Haematology sec., claiming it would be quicker for me to get retrained and have my competencies signed. If this was a white mother, I am sure she would have listened and supported!

Upon moving to the Diagnostic Haematology section, I was assigned Band 3 tasks, lower than my band.

In late March/April 2022, the senior Advanced Biomedical Scientist (White British) in the Diagnostic Haematology Section, finished training a White European female and then moved on to training a newly registered Biomedical Scientist Asian male BMS. The section manager had promised to train me with him, but this never happened. Instead, the senior BMS then moved on to training a newly hired White British male from Coventry Trust (who had only been with me on the band 3 section for 1- 2 weeks), and a student transfer from Portugal who would not ever benefit from the lab.

When I questioned this, the Senior BMS dismissed me, saying she had no time for me, and asked, “Why don’t you move out of the county?” while making a mocking facial gesture to a colleague. This was overtly discriminatory and unacceptable. In another time she also ridiculed my maternity leave by asking, “How many trillion babies have you had?”

 In late July 2022, the same Senior BMS publicly shouted at me for simply asking about a patient sample, resulting me to write an informal letter copied in to management, the site manager asked, "Is it coming from home?" dismissing my professional complaint.

Since joining St George’s Hospital, I have made several public interest disclosures, but have been made to feel isolated, prevented from receiving proper training, and subjected to continual mistreatment, less favourable treatment and victimisation - which is still ongoing! Despite being in the field for a long time, I have been bypassed in favour of far less experienced colleagues who were being trained from scratch, supported and elevated while I was being degraded and humiliated. I have been made to feel inferior and unworthy of the same training opportunities as my white and non-black counterparts.

After seven months of harassment & bullying, I suffered a severe panic attack on 7 February 2023. I felt like I couldn’t breathe and thought I was having a heart attack & fled the lab. The ongoing stress from the treatment I was being subjected to led to an extreme anxiety and physical breakdown. I was signed off sick for nine months and needed counselling just to leave the house again. I’m now on anti-anxiety medication to cope.

After failed and whitewashed  investigations including two appeal hearings the recommendation was, I relocate to Kingston or Croydon Hospital like I was the problem!

My Case 

I have taken my case to South London Employment Tribunal to expose how the Trust have used taxpayer’s money to bury wrongdoing and mistreat their staff instead of investing in patient care and creating a safe, inclusive space for everyone to work despite their, race, faith or background. The focus should always be patient safety and care.

I have been representing myself as a litigant in person so far, only using lawyers for hearings and advice when needed. I have still spent almost £10,000. I need to raise £60,000 to see me through to the final hearing. I have preliminary hearing in October 2025 and a 10-day final hearing from 26 October 2026 to 06 November 2026.

Donations will go directly from the donor to my lawyers - none of the money will come to me. If the money raised exceeds the needs for my case, I hope it will be used to support other professionals who find themselves in similar difficulties.

I have faith that you will donate to this case to fight the horrible injustice I have faced. So far, I have written to the HR Deputy as well as the CEO of St George’s Hospital for help. Despite promises that my situation would improve, things that got worse since I filed my grievance in March 2023.

Thank you so much for your generosity.