Bullying and toxic culture at one of England's largest NHS trusts - BBC Newsnight

Newsnight previously uncovered deep concerns about what was going on inside the University Hospitals Birmingham Trust, from allegations of whistleblowers being threatened, to the father of a junior doctor who killed herself saying the hospital had destroyed her.

The reports resulted in three inquiries being launched, the first of which, an interim report into patient safety, came out on Tuesday.

It sought to reassure the public saying the trust's various sites were a safe place to receive care. But it warned any continuation of a corrosive culture there would impact morale, hit staffing, and “put at risk the care of patients”.

The report highlights the Queen Elizabeth hospital, saying there's clear evidence that cultural problems persist there and require serious attention. 

Sir Robert Francis - the barrister who headed the Mid-Staffs hospital inquiry told Newsnight that, “patients will not be safe in any organisation unless staff feel they will be supported if they speak up about their genuine concerns”.

David Grossman and the NHS team speak to the Trust’s chief executive Jonathan Brotherton and the report’s author professor Mike Bewick.

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#Newsnight #BBCNews

[emmylou]

I was a whistleblower (nurse) 16 years ago against bullies, alone. I was threatened & I wouldn’t take it. It took 2 years & I ‘won’ but there are no winners. It’s brutal. I lost everything but never my integrity. I was so unwell for so long (PTSD & more) even though the Trust was in the wrong. I’m back nursing in the NHS for 3 years now which I said I’d never do & loving it but standing up to these people costs dearly - you certainly find out what you’re made of……& it changes you forever

[maggiemondo]

Arrogance in the medical profession is notorious in the UK particularly amongst consultant doctors. These things often stem from the top and until they are addressed throughout the NHS, these horror stories will continue.

[riverdonoghue]

Workplace bullying should be made a criminal offence. I suffered it because I advocated for my patients and raised safeguarding alerts. Its always the good staff who suffer. Its rife in the NHS and private nursing homes.

Bullying and toxic culture is the Soul of England.

[Gusburg]

as a med student we're told to whistleblow but honestly hearing horror stories from work and the amount of bullying you receive as a junior doctor from consultants and nurses etc will prevent us speaking up fearing for being bullied further will end up causing patient harm. it's terrible and i want the public to know the nhs is a toxic workplace

[catalinacurio]

It’s not just this hospital, I was bullied worse than anywhere else in my life in a hospital. So much so I had a breakdown, the lack of transparency and support is shocking but what else can we expect when the funds are so low!

[lukeallan]

I worked in a hospital and was severely bullied and gaslighted. I also worked in care and its a common theme. I honestly feel bullying is everywhere in England but it is worse in care jobs.

[belmont]

Journalism at it's best. Prime example why journalism is so important. 👏👏👏👏👏👏 BBC

[jayg]

Finally this is being addressed. As many have said, bullying in the NHS is widespread. I'm an ex university lecturer who trained and worked in Birmingham. For the past 25 - 30 years the QE hospital and it's quality of care due to the working culture has led to questions that have never been answered. I hope they also take a look at the gynecology departments record over the last 30 yrs. I believe they will find high mortality rates for cesarian operations. I recall a time when a Consultant from a Mental Health Trust stated that she'd rather not send her pregnant patient to the QE because she believed lead doctors were racist and she observed inequalities in care. As said, the bullying of whistleblowers means nothing gets done or dealt with.

[JenTargaryen]

I was a nurse in Heartlands for around a year. I was bullied relentlesly by my senior nurse with 18 years of experience, I was told that 5 other nurses had left that year because of her and I ultimately did as well.
I tried to speak about this seniour nurse to absolutely everyone who could help me and nobody did. I was suicidal, clearly very upset at the beggining of every shift, and nobody cared.
The NHS is toxic and hostile towards employees and patients are paying for it. I wish somebody would listen to what nurses and other employees have been saying for ages.

[twee]

I was a patient at Homerton hospital in London and 3 nurses ganged up and bullied me relentlessly for the 4 days I was an inpatient. I was insulted, deprived of most basic care to "teach me a lesson" and I felt very frightened for my safety. They also wrote bare-faced lies in the medical records! And, from what I saw, I was not the only victim on that ward.

[bunbun]

Ex NHS worker...never again...numerous occasions feeling utterly broken and suicidal...it left its mark...its been 4 years since I left..the memories still make me cry...in the end it was being told that whilst I had been sexually harassed by another member of staff ..nothing would be done because no one else had come forward to management to complain...my complaint was not enough...this was a lie...other female members of staff had confided in me and had told management about his behaviour...nothing was ever done. ..Never ever again..go to f*ccin hell!

[AnthonyD-yyin]

Bulling and toxic culture just about sums up the whole country of England anyway. If you don't fit into "a nice little neat box" then you just have to be prepared to defend yourself often. I gave as good as I got.. but decided to move on anyway. I'm more or less happy living in America now.

[helenbirdart]

It's awful at many NHS hospitals which I witnessed and personally experienced as a student nurse back in the 1980's. As soon as I graduated, I got the heck out and moved to the USA. I was absolutely horrified as a junior student nurse who witnessed a ward sister going through a patient cardex & marking patients as DNR. This is a decision to be made by the patient, their family and a physician!

[sandraevans]

This happens in every hospital up and down the country. In every dept, in my experience, the nurses were the worst offenders. Nasty snobbish little creeps who's only concern was which doctor they were going to bed next.

[clairel]

I worked for an NHS Trust and experienced segregation and bullying, luckily for me I had 2 close colleagues who I could speak to. All 3 of us eventually left the trust. I explained everything in my exit interview. When I moved to a new trust everyone who previously worked at the old trust had a bullying experience. It makes me very worried if I ever move from the good trust I am at now that I would experience bullying again

[raspberries]

R.I.P. 😢
Don't let more people die because of the incompleteness of the NHS staff!

[Kwippy]

Exhausted and demoralised health care workers make mistakes, and now in the UK, litigations against the NHS and its workers are increasing very fast. Last estimate some years ago the NHS has 70 billion pounds worth of litigations, triple its annual budget. There is nothing more demoralising for healthcare workers than being sued, risking total ruin to their lives and careers. The NHS is a very unhappy place to work so is it surprising that some workers act in deplorable ways which they might not have done if their lives weren't so wretched?

[takezo]

remember doing my work experience at the QE and saw firsthand the toxic nurses talking behind each other's back and senior nurses bullying the nurses in training. it was disgusting to be honest

[uqox]

This is so terrifying. Patients need advocates. When you silence them that leads to these negative outcomes for the patients. Those frontline nurses and doctors know what's going on and which of their colleagues are dangerously negligent. Then those managers/administrators try to cover it up and the death continues. Name names! More admins are making these dangerous decisions. Name them!