Dental Nurse Wins £25,000 Compensation After Colleague Rolled Eyes at Her

An Edinburgh dental nurse has won £25,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled she was subjected to persistent bullying and a hostile work environment.

The case centred on 64-year-old Maureen Howieson, who had worked in dentistry for more than 40 years before being moved to reception duties at Great Junction Dental Practice due to arthritis.

The tribunal heard that Howieson’s working relationship with colleague Jisna Iqbal had deteriorated, with Iqbal accused of rolling her eyes when Howieson spoke and repeatedly ignoring her. Howieson told the panel the treatment left her feeling undermined and disrespected.

In September 2024, she was reduced to tears at work and later suffered a panic attack after the clinic failed to respond to her complaints. She said she felt “reduced to being a cleaner” and described the workplace atmosphere as hostile.

Despite management assurances that the issue would be resolved, no action was taken. Tensions worsened when Iqbal allegedly refused to leave the reception desk during one of Howieson’s shifts. The final breaking point came in October, when Howieson was underpaid and subsequently resigned.

Employment Judge Ronald Mackay ruled that the clinic failed to act on Howieson’s concerns, calling the inaction an “unacceptable omission.” He found that Iqbal’s behaviour breached workplace standards and that management’s failures directly contributed to Howieson’s distress.

As a result, the tribunal awarded Howieson £25,000 in compensation for the treatment she endured.