Fifth of NHS doctors experience bullying and harassment

A report by the British Medical Association has revealed that one in five NHS doctors were victims of bullying or harassment last year.

As Health Secretary Matt Hancock outlined new measures to protect NHS staff in an attempt to reduce the thousands of assaults on them that take place every year, the BMA’s survey of 7,887 doctors found that 39 per cent believe that bullying, harassment or undermining behaviour occurs in their main place of work and is a problem. Furthermore, 10 per cent of those said it was ‘often’ a problem while 29 per cent it occurred ‘sometimes’.

Whilst a fifth said they had experienced such behaviour during the past year, only 33 per cent said they or a colleague had reported incidents to their employer.

Discussing why bullying, undermining and harassment happens in their place of work, 65 per cent of respondents said it was because of work pressures, 58 per cent said it was difficult to challenge because ‘behaviour comes from the top’ and 48 per cent said victims were too afraid to speak out about it.

Dr Anthea Mowat, chair of the BMA’s representative body, said: “Bullying in medicine can bring to mind images of a junior doctor being shouted at by a senior, or a surgeon angrily throwing instruments across the room. But … it can affect all kinds of doctor and medical student.”