A secretary claimed she was victimised by hospital managers for blowing the whistle on a "chaotic" cancer department.

Irene Mounsey, 53, told an employment tribunal that she was left feeling "sick and humiliated" by her treatment after raising concerns at Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust.

She told the hearing in Leeds she thought that 168 patients were at risk because of the standards of care at the Breast Cancer Unit at St Luke's Hospital. Mrs Mounsey blames stress for the 18 months she spent off work sick.

She said that a number of disciplinary procedures which had begun against her and suspicions of her leaking files had caused her trauma. But Melanie Tether, representing the Trust, said managers at the hospital had concerns of the standards of her work.

Since September, 1998, Mrs Mounsey had worked as the personal assistant to consultant breast surgeon Robert Phipps who was suspended in 2000 and later sacked after being accused by bosses of making false claims on his job applications.

Former TV editor Mrs Mounsey, of Shibden, Halifax, claims she was targeted after backing Mr Phipps, who believed women should have received radio therapy treatment for their cancer. After his dismissal, she appeared on television and said he had been made a scapegoat.

She also gave information which the Trust now claims to be confidential. By the time she left her job in January, she had three separate disciplinary actions hanging over her.

Mrs Mounsey told tribunal chairman, David Burton: "I had general concern that there was complete chaos in the department. I was worried about my work and patients worried and didn't want to have operations."

She told the hearing that both she and Mr Phipps complained about the organisation of the breast cancer department in the run-up to his suspension.

She claimed they even handed a report to Trust medical director Michael Smith, claiming that problems had later led to delays. Under cross examination by Ms Tether, Mrs Mounsey admitted her office had been a mess but claimed her diary was in order.

Ms Tether put to her allegations that she was a talkative worker who did not get on with her work as much as she should have done.

The hearing continues.