Hospital trust's anti-bullying policy branded "not fit for purpose"

But, although the investigation into Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust by the Good Governance Institute also found an “inconsistent and confusing” approach to addressing concerns raised by staff, it said there was “insufficient evidence to conclude that bullying and harassment is endemic at the trust”.

The report was commissioned by the Trust Development Authority in February following concerns that allegations of harassment and bullying of employees by management staff were not being investigated properly and was released yesterday, Thursday.

The findings of the investigation were presented and discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the trust’s board at the Royal yesterday afternoon, where interim chief executive Chris Tidman welcomed the findings.

“We have to be honest – some of it makes uncomfortable reading, as it should do,” he said. “But we need to use it as a catalyst for change “There is absolutely no place for bullying and harassment in this trust or any place of work.

“If we can have staff who are happy in their work, that equates directly to better patient care “But what we don’t want is a benign environment where everyone just agrees with one another.

“That’s not real life.”

Among other findings of the report were that many staff felt their concerns were not being taken seriously, leading to feelings of “considerable frustration and helplessness” and, although the board had demonstrated “good intentions”, they had failed to properly address their concerns and keep them updated about the progress of any investigations.

Although the investigators initially interviewed more than 100 people working throughout the trust – which runs Worcestershire Royal and Kidderminster Hospitals as well as the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch – it quickly became clear the issue was more complex than had been anticipated and so a postal questionnaire was set up, receiving 721 responses, as well as an anonymous email address, which was used by 24 people.

Among recommendations made in the report are that the trust should make “an explicit statement” setting out a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and immediately review its Dignity at Work policy.

Mr Tidman said it was important all the report’s recommendations were not just taken on board but also acted upon.

“This can’t be just words – there needs to be action,” he said.

“The most important thing to me is that we don’t just do an action plan and leave it on the shelf. It has to be real.”

Trust chairman Harry Turner also welcomed the report, saying: “Clearly there are some changes we need to deal with.

“We’ve got a goldmine of information here (in the report) that some trusts would die for.

“We can really make a difference with this.”

To view the full report visit worcsacute.nhs.uk.

REACTION: "MUCH TO REFLECT AND ACT ON", SAYS INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE

THE report received a generally positive reaction from people across Worcestershire’s health sector yesterday.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, chairman of patient watchdog Healthwatch Worcestershire Peter Pinfield said: “It’s very clear that this issue is quite controversial.

“Some people are very angry about the situation.”

But he added he genuinely believed the trust’s board was committed to changing things for the better.

“The test now is can you pull this off,” he said.

“Will things have changed in three to six months?

“Please, please keep this door open. Keep doing that and you’re onto a winner.”

Portfolio director at the NHS Trust Development Authority Jeffrey Worrall also welcomed the findings and said the organisation would continue to work with the trust to ensure its recommendations were properly implemented.

“It is crucial that staff feel safe and supported when they raise concerns of this nature, with a clear process to follow and the recommendations are designed to improve the support available to them and their working environment,” he said.

“We hope that the published report will also be a useful learning resource for other NHS trusts reviewing their governance and support for staff raising bullying and harassment concerns.”

Speaking after yesterday’s meeting Mr Tidman said: “My board colleagues and I will do everything in our power to ensure we listen to staff, take their views seriously and ensure they feel safe and supported when they bring ideas to us, or raise concerns.

“The messages highlighted in the report have given us much to reflect and act on.

“We are proud of so many of our staff who work to deliver excellent patient care, or support those who do.

“We want the attitude and values of the many, to be lived by everyone who works with us, or is being recruited by us.”