VisitScotland ignored own disciplinary policy

Richard Saville-Smith

By Cara Sulieman

VisitScotland ignored their own internal disciplinary policy when sacking the head of PR for the Year of Homecoming, a tribunal heard today (Weds).

The head of HR for the public body, Fiona Reith, said that they found themselves “stuck between a rock and a hard place” when dealing with Richard Saville-Smith.

The 48-year-old had been off work due to a bi-polar episode brought on by work related stress, and Ms Reith said that she was trying to deal with both that and historic disciplinary issues at the same time.

The employment tribunal in Edinburgh heard that Mr Saville-Smith had failed to turn up to work in August 2008 because he was suffering a bi-polar episode brought on by stress at work.

But there had also been previous issues with the PR guru’s performance, and Ms Reith decided to deal with both of the problems at the same time.

PR guru claims VisitScotland are “hiding” documents from employment tribunal

Richard Saville-Smith

By Cara Sulieman

A HIGH-FLYING PR guru who is suing VisitScotland for unfair dismissal has filed a complaint with police alleging that the tourism body failed to produce “key documents” under court order.

Richard Saville-Smith claims management at VisitScotland – the public body in charge of the year-long Homecoming celebrations – “doctored” evidence of his workload.

And he has reported them to Lothian and Borders Police for attempting to pervert the course of justice and interfering with evidence.

Mr Saville-Smith’s case was partially heard for four days in September and starts again tomorrow (Weds).

Homecoming PR guru failed to reveal bipolar condition, tribunal told

By ALEXANDER LAWRIE

A spin doctor appointed to spearhead the world-wide Homecoming Scotland campaign deliberately failed to disclose his bipolar condition to his employers as he battled to save his job, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Richard Saville-Smith, from Edinburgh, had been in the position as PR manager of Year of Homecoming for just seven weeks when he suffered a mental breakdown which he claims was caused by a heavy workload and a “bullying” style of management.

But when employers VisitScotland conducted two back-to-work meetings with the 48 year-old PR guru, he failed to divulge the true nature of his condition.

VisitScotland claim it was a full seven weeks following Mr Saville-Smith’s absence before they became aware of his bipolar condition.

After being treated for his breakdown, in which he spend three weeks in a locked ward in a psychiatric facility, Mr Saville-Smith was sacked by VisitScotland for being incompetent.

Homecoming Scotland chiefs doctored evidence, tribunal told

By Alexander Lawrie

BOSSES at Homecoming Scotland altered minutes of important meetings and destroyed an email account in a bid to discredit a high-flying PR manager, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Richard Saville-Smith, from Edinburgh, claims management at VisitScotland – the public body in charge of the year-long Homecoming celebrations – doctored evidence of his workload.

The 48-year-old PR expert was employed to mastermind the Homecoming campaign in June 2008, but was effectively sacked from the £40,000 position for being incompetent just seven weeks later.

Mr Saville-Smith is claiming an increased workload and a lack of management support led him to suffer an episode of manic depression, in which he spent four weeks in a secure unit.

High flying PR manager blames management for mental collapse

Richard Saville-Smith

By Alexander Lawrie

A HIGH flying PR executive who was charged with masterminding Scotland’s Year of Homecoming campaign issued a “cry for help” to bosses before suffering a mental collapse, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Richard Saville-Smith, 48, from Edinburgh, told how he had struggled under the workload and asked for support – all against a backdrop of seeing his expert advice ignored by management.

He told an Employment Tribunal in Edinburgh yesterday that the strain of it all saw him suffer a bipolar episode – his first in 13-years – which eventually led to his sacking.

Mr Saville-Smith, who blames management at EventScotland, is now claiming unfair dismissal under disability legislation after receiving his P45 last Christmas Eve.