A  NHS whistleblower raising fears over two patient deaths in a secure  unit for female criminals secretly taped the chief executive of  Broadmoor Hospital describing her as a “disturbed woman” who reminded him of his first wife, an employment tribunal has heard.

West London Mental Health NHS Trust boss Steve Shrubb and a senior HR manager also speculated whether Dr Hayley Dare and her union representative were “a pair of alcoholics”, unaware she had bugged his office.

His comments were made during a meeting about Dr Dare’s future with the trust after she came forward with a catalogue of fears for patient safety and budget cuts proposed to the Orchard Unit in Ealing, West London.

Clinical psychologist Dr Dare told an employment tribunal yesterday she was forced to turn whistleblower after her concerns for mentally ill women being treated at the facility were not acted on.               

In the months before she approached Mr Shrubb, a 72-year-old frail patient had died after being left in a “windowless padded cell” for four weeks in August 2012 following a ward closure at the medium security unit.

Mr Shrubb - who also oversees high security Broadmoor Hospital in Crowthorne, Berks - was warned another patient could die due to ongoing safety issues at the 60-bed Orchard Unit when Dr Dare first met with him in March 2013.

Just months later a patient hanged herself in her room after three consultants were axed in August 2013 as part of cost-cutting measures.

Dr Dare, who was clinical lead for women’s services at the time, told the tribunal in Watford, Herts.: “I had serious clinical concerns for a while. I had raised these with my manager, I had written various emails with a solution approach to how to address these very serious concerns in the women’s service.

“I felt these were not being addressed. I was so disturbed by that point at the lack of replies I was getting from my managers about how to deal with these situation and I was very concerned there would be a death in the service.”

In another meeting with Mr Shrubb in March this year to discuss Dr Dare’s future job in the trust, the psychologist had a recording device in her jacket which she accidentally left in his office when she stepped out for a cup of tea.

He is then heard launching into a rant about Dr Dare to senior HR manager Rachael Moench.

In the exchange, Mr Shrubb says: “But she’s a very, very disturbed woman. God she reminds me of my first wife.”

The pair also speculate about whether Dr Dare and her union representative Colin Moore had been drinking before the meeting, with Ms Moench remarking: “Great a pair of alcoholics."

Dr Dare’s barrister Andrew Bousfield told the tribunal: “For an NHS chief executive to engage in that type of behaviour is frankly disgraceful.”

Dr Dare had been employed by the trust for 14 years working with disturbed female offenders.

As part of her whistleblowing claims, Dr Dare also accused senior manager Andy Weir, director of specialist and forensic services, of bullying and harassment, the tribunal heard.

Following his suspension pending an investigation, Dr Dare and several other members of staff received “poison pen letters” in May 2013 making threats to them and their families.

A Met Police investigation was launched into who wrote the letter and Mr Weir was arrested, but later cleared of having written the letter.

Mr Bousfield told the tribunal: “Mr Weir was arrested and placed on police bail for six months. Charges did not materialise.”

The culprit behind the letter was never found.

Mr Weir left the trust in March this year to work elsewhere in the NHS.

After returning to work from a period of sick leave following the anonymous letter Dr Dare claims other managers “felt aggrieved” to work with the whistleblower.

Mr Bousfield added: “They were seeking to prevent Dr Dare from returning to her job after she engaged in whistleblowing which led to the removal of a senior NHS manager.”

Ian Scott, representing the trust, said it disputes that the tape includes an exchange about Dr Dare and Mr Moore being “a pair of alcoholics” and that the tape was a breach of Mr Shrubb’s privacy.

Dr Dare, of Berkhamsted, Herts., has lodged a whistleblowing detriment tribunal claim against the trust.

The tribunal before Judge Henry continues.