The results of today’s NHS staff survey highlight the continued issue of bullying and harassment in the NHS. An increasing number of staff reported bullying and harassment from managers (up from 12.8% in 2017 to 13.2% in 2018) and from colleagues (up from 18% in 2017 to 19.1% in 2018).
This increase in incidence could reflect the fact that staff are more likely to raise concerns following an increased awareness of the impacts of this oppressive behaviour on patients, individuals and teams. However a considered, collaborative approach is required from stakeholders across the NHS to address the issue and ensure that individuals not only feel able to report instances of bullying and harassment but they and their teams are equipped to address issues within their working environments.
RCSEd is committed to tackling bullying and undermining within the surgical environment and across the NHS. We are proud to be working with organisations across the NHS to raise awareness of this issue and provide individuals with resources to empower individuals to tackle this issue. RCSEd’s resources can be seen here.
In addition, RCSEd is working collaboratively with The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) to host a Bullying and Undermining meeting at RCOG’s offices on 4 April where delegates can hear about strategies to tackle problem behaviour.