Pregnant self-employed dental associate terminated two days after submitting pregnancy-related…

A dental associate working at an NHS practice was issued a notice of termination shortly after submitting a medical fit note related to her pregnancy. The professional had previously raised formal grievances regarding the management of an internal investigation into an inappropriate AI-generated deepfake video.

What happened

The conflict originated from a dispute at the dental practice involving an inappropriate AI-generated or deepfake video. The associate raised formal concerns regarding the investigation into this incident, alleging that she was unfairly singled out while the involvement of other staff members was not adequately scrutinized. Following her challenge to the investigation and the submission of a formal grievance regarding management conduct, the practice owner initiated discussions about reducing her clinical sessions.

On June 23, 2026, the associate provided a GP-issued fit note citing pregnancy, stress, and anxiety linked to the recent events at the practice. Just two days later, on June 25, the practice owner issued a formal notice terminating her entire associate agreement. While the practice cited an NHS-mandated reduction in clinical sessions as the reason for the termination, the associate noted several irregularities: the original discussions concerned only a partial reduction of three sessions, no documentation regarding selection criteria or commissioner correspondence was provided, and no consultation was offered. The associate is now seeking legal guidance on potential pregnancy discrimination and victimisation claims, as the termination occurred immediately following her formal complaints and the disclosure of her pregnancy-related medical condition.