NHS Employers today welcomed the General Medical Council’s ‘National Training Survey 2014’ reports on bullying and patient safety.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation, said:
“These reports are important tools that help employers anticipate and address serious issues in the workplace.
“No one finds the reported levels of bullying in the NHS acceptable - yet still these unacceptable behaviours occur, affecting individuals and the NHS as a whole. Tackling bullying is everybody’s priority and this year’s trainee survey results, while showing evidence of some improvement, also show there is much more to do.
“Managers have a key role in creating the right culture and processes to eliminate and tackle bullying and, in the case of medical staff, the managers are usually doctors too. This is why NHS Employers and healthcare providers will continue to work closely with medical bodies to identify what can be done to tackle dysfunctional and harmful workplace relationships.
“Patient safety is the priority for every NHS worker, including doctors in training, and the findings in the GMC are broadly encouraging, reflecting the work being done by organisations to best use the skills and insights of doctors in training to improve the care given to patients.
“We all need to keep working together, in partnership, to ensure a culture where all staff are confident about reporting concerns and are supported when they do so. NHS Employers also provides a range of tools to help managers and staff report wrongdoing, misconduct or malpractice quickly without fear of victimisation.
“Underlying this progress is the recognition that staff work best when they feel valued and supported.”