I need some advice regarding employment issues. (nurse)?

My girlfriend recently took up a new post wich was temporary, with her hospital. She is a nurse, but her new job was as a clinical nurse specialist, ie reg 9-5 hours and better pay. Shee took up the post in Jan this year and is still doing it.
Now, the lady she was covering for decided she was taking another job in a different hospital, so the job was available and so, went public.
Her previous ward manager, (same age) was down as her referee, so thinking she was sure to get a good reference from her old manager she awaited interview.
Turned out her old manager had aslo (sneakliy) applied for the job.
Low and behold, she gets aletter last week saying her old boss has the job and my girlfrienf has to go back to her old job.
Surely there is SOME legal issue here? Would they not have to prove the right person got the job? I mean my girlfriend has to stay on and TRAIN her old boss to do the job she has been doing!!!

Should she seek legal advice? Comments and advice please. Thanks.

Its a pity that your girlfriend did not get the job but maybe she is going to get something better. If you want to push it, I am sure you girlfriend can ask for the interview scores. It will also be interesting to know what her old boss wrote about her. Personally I do not think that one reference only can influence whether you get the job or not. She should have had more than one reference and what did the other person say about her? Considering the number of fack references that people send to prospective employers, references are just a formality whether you get the job or not will depend on how you perform at the interview. Another thing to note is that your girlfriend is not training her former boss she is just doing an induction or orientation for her, handing over the ropes. I say this because nursing is nearly the same the only difference is how things are done in different departments or where to find this or that. When you do a job it is part of your contract (you actually get paid for this), to show new members of staff how to do things. Its difficult to see how a bad reference will influence a pannel of interviewers, especially if the person who wrote it also applied for the job. If she was maginalised then there will be big trouble for all involved as it is a questionable situation. All hospitals have a human resources department and a committe which deals with these kind of things your girlfriend must talk to them and her union for free advise. Good luck.

Nope, this is the decision and discretion of the hospital. Unless you have some kind of specific written contract, it is all "at will" employment. The will of the employer.
large organisations have to advertise positions internally before going public with any vacancy. Basically your girlfriend has lost out here, reason being the board of interviewers decided that her old manager was the one for the job. If your GF feels she has been miss treated either approach the nursing union on this or seek legal advice. But without wishing to be hurtful (which I am not) I think the answer will be the best man got the job so to speak. It's unfair I know but I don't think there is a lot you can do.
if her referee was also applying there was a major conflict of interest there.

You havent said which country you are in, if the UK and it is a NHS hospital, there should be a code of conduct which outlaws this kind of thing. If a member, might be an idea to have a word with the union rep.
Although unfair there isnt much you could do about it,unless her old boss wasnt qualified for the new post,employment law is a grey issue at the best of times but normally employers have their backs covered when making new appointments
sorry
Gosh that's really awful. Is there a union? If not there is no legal recourse. Of course if it was me I would seek employment at an institution who values me more
21 years as a nurse and unoin delegate