Nurse resolves action over alleged employment termination at 'luxury' nursing home

High Court reporters

A nurse has resolved a High Court action she launched following the purported termination of her employment by the owners and operators of a 144-bed south Dublin nursing home.

The action was brought by Divya Jayarajan, who in early 2023 commenced employment as director of nursing with FFNH Limited, which trades as The Four Ferns Nursing Home, in Foxrock, Co Dublin.

The defendant is part of the Integrated Elder Care Group, which owns several nursing homes in Ireland.

The proceedings were brought late last year when Ms Jayarajan claimed that she had been summarily dismissed from her job at what she described as a luxury and demanding nursing home.

Arising out of her purported dismissal, Ms Jayarajan had sought various orders, including injunctions against the defendant. She had also sought a declaration from the court that she remained employed as the defendant's director of nursing, as well as damages.

The defendants had denied any wrongdoing.

The matter was adjourned on several occasions to allow for out-of-court talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

The matter was listed before Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy on Wednesday morning. However the dispute is now settled, on confidential terms, and the entire proceedings were struck out.

The court had previously heard that Ms Jayarajan had alleged that her purported termination of her employment had been carried out in the complete absence of any fair procedures and in breach of her contract of employment.

The plaintiff, from Newbridge, Co Kildare, also claimed that she had been "scapegoated" for a negative review given by Hiqa following an inspection of the nursing home last September.

She had claimed that issues identified by Hiqa, which included governance, residents' rights, fire safety and contract of care, were matters for which she is not responsible.

She had also claimed that she was subjected to "racist comments" by another member of staff, which she also claims was allegedly ignored by management.

She alleged that her health had been adversely affected by what has happened to her and feared that the wrongful termination of her employment will have a detrimental effect on her professional reputation.

The defendant had denied all of the claims made against it.