The Department of Health and Social Care and Dr Rosalind Ranson will appear in court today ahead of a further tribunal hearing due for next week.

Dr Ranson was unfairly dismissed by the government last year, with a tribunal ruling that followed her making protected disclosures (whistleblowing).

The hearing today, before Deemster Andrew Corlett, is being brought by the DHSC ahead of a tribunal hearing to consider evidence on the disclosure of documents.

Following the tribunal earlier this year, the panel, chaired by Douglas Stewart, said it had concerns over whether government evidence was concocted and that it had ‘a feeling’ that other documents remain undisclosed.

The report said that the panel had ‘considerable concern throughout and different aspects were raised during oral submissions on the final day of the hearing’.

It added: ‘The tribunal members were left with knowledge that some documents had been destroyed (but not deliberately) and an uncomfortable feeling that others could still exist but remained undisclosed. Serious litigation of this stature should not have to be conducted on that basis.

‘Perhaps the most telling point, as highlighted by Mr Segal [who represented Dr Ranson], was that most of the documents which undermined the Response had not been volunteered to Dr Ranson as they should have been in October 2021. They had only emerged following her use of the DSAR process. Even that had not been wholly effective.’

Speaking to Isle of Man TV’s Paul Moulton over the weekend, DHSC Minister Lawrie Hooper said he was unable to say much about the proceedings given that it is an ongoing court case.

However, Mr Hooper did say that he ‘is not happy about any of it’.

He added: ‘I’m not happy with how any of this is playing out, how that’s happening, I’m not, but it’s a personal view.’