Widow of sacked cancer patient wins £1.7m payout

Mark Richards was suffering with renal cancer when he was made redundant (Image: GETTY)The widow of a cancer patient has been awarded £1.7million after he lost his company private health insurance when he was unfairly sacked while ill with the disease. Mark Richards was made redundant from the California based technology company Brocade, which has offices in the UK, while he was battling renal cancer.He lost his job in December 2017 as a senior manager when the firm was bought by Broadcom, a semiconductor specialist that is also based in the USA.Mr Richards had originally won a claim for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination just a few months before he died in April this year, aged 63.His wife, Wendy Richards, has been awarded £1,768,369 in compensation in a new tribunal.Mr Richards had worked for Brocade for 13 years, and the employment tribunal was told he was a ‘high performer and very well regarded’.The court found that while employed with Brocade, his private health insurance provided him with ‘faster medical treatment, earlier access to some medication and a wider range of medication than if he had not had the insurance”. ‘On dismissal, the claimant was not unable to buy or to afford a personal health insurance policy for himself and he lost this benefit. ‘This meant that there were delays in the claimant’s diagnosis and treatment and less continuity of care.’It also found that losing his insurance ’caused him increased pain and worry and had a significant impact on his quality of life and overall health.’DON’T MISSTree surgeon crushed by 60ft ash sues bosses for millions [REPORT]Daily Express triple lock petition passes 45k signatures [PETITION]Hard-saving thrifty pensioners have been played by Truss and Sunak [OPINION] Mr Richards found it difficult to obtain insurance following his dismissal (Image: GETTY)His doctor, Hardev Pandha, a consultant oncologist, told the tribunal that the loss of the insurance resulted in a loss of ‘speed and coherence’ in Mr Richards’ care.Mr Richards attempted to find adequate health cover following his dismissal, but given his condition, the lowest quotation he was given for private insurance was £105,000 per year.Some insurers also declined to offer a quote for coverage.