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Tuesday, 06 June 2006 10:07

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Doctors renew call for ‘zero tolerance' on violence, bullying and harassment in the workplace

Doctors’ leaders in Wales will today renew their call for a policy of ‘zero tolerance’ on violence, bullying and harassment in the workplace. BMA Cymru Wales’ call comes on the day that the Assembly is set to debate the safety of public sector staff.

A recent study by the British Medical Association revealed that 1 in 4 NHS staff have been bullied and harassed by patients and their relatives and nearly 1 in 7 report similar experiences from other members of staff.

Previous research into violence against doctors found that more than a third of respondents had experienced some form of violence in the workplace with almost all being the victim of some form of verbal abuse, threats and physical assaults.

Welsh Secretary of the BMA, Dr Richard Lewis said: “No-one working in a hospital or GP practice should have to put up with the threat of physical or verbal abuse. We’re talking about people who go to work in order to try to alleviate pain and treat ill-health – the fact that they may expect to be punched, kicked or shouted at cannot be tolerated. Doctors and other healthcare workers must be able to work in a safe environment. Attacks on, threats to, and verbal abuse of, doctors cannot be tolerated. We must not allow this situation to drift; it must not come to the point where violence against doctors is accepted as part of the job.

“This is why a policy of 'zero tolerance' is desperately needed.”

Chairman of the BMA's Welsh Council added: "Bullying can take many forms and does not always present as physical or verbal abuse. Mental bullying can be just as devastating to the victim and can lead to serious mental difficulty if it is not addressed.

"There has to be a zero tolerance to such behaviour with a clearly defined and confidential process available for victims to report instances when they occur."

The BMA report has described several ways forward, these include:

· Every NHS organisation, including all deaneries and those involved in training, should have a policy for dealing with bullying and harassment at work. This should also include the provision of support and relevant contacts who can be approached to deal with the situation appropriately;

· Guidance aimed at the specific issues facing students may prevent bullying and harassment at medical school;

· Training for staff must be specific and appropriate and updated regularly;

· Appropriate personal development and training must be invested in senior medical staff to enable them to take on managerial roles and express their authority tactfully;

· If the problem of bullying and harassment in the workplace is to be successfully tackled, support must be provided for all involved parties. This includes confidential, non-judgemental support for the victim and also remedial support for those who are responsible for the bullying. Furthermore, third parties who are aware of the bullying and harassment should feel empowered to challenge the situation or report it to an appropriate manager or colleague.

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