New research led by the University of Surrey has found that bullying in the NHS costs the health service £2.8bn each year.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the study has highlighted the staggering levels of unprofessional behaviour and bullying in the NHS and has published new guidelines to combat it.
Professor Jill Maben OBE, principal investigator of the study from the University of Surrey, said: “Bullying alone costs the NHS upwards of £2 billion a year, with nearly half of staff saying they have experienced some form of unprofessional behaviour from colleagues, leading to many considering leaving the service.
“It is crucial that we take action soon and prioritise the implementation of interventions to rid the NHS of this scourge.
“We also need to better understand the root causes and the context in which these behaviours occur, especially as they disproportionately affect women and minority staff.”
Women and staff from minority backgrounds are disproportionately effected
Despite recent reports highlighting record diversity in the NHS, the study reveals a significant oversight in current approaches, neglecting the unique challenges encountered by women, minority staff, and individuals with disabilities.
Alarming statistics show that over 4,000 NHS staff faced accusations of severe misconduct, including sexual assault and harassment, from 2017 to 2022, yet only 576 of them underwent disciplinary actions.
Furthermore, a recent Australian survey uncovered that 14.5% of healthcare workers experienced extremely unprofessional behaviours at their workplaces.
Despite these concerning numbers, the research identified just one existing intervention targeting racism in acute care settings.
The study emphasises the need for a more specific and inclusive approach, warning that without such focus, the experiences of women and minority staff will continue to be disregarded, perpetuating systemic issues in healthcare environments, both in the UK and worldwide.
Interventions to stop NHS bullying
To combat these concerning cases of Bullying in the NHS, the researchers performed a comprehensive literature review of interventions aimed at addressing unprofessional behaviours amongst staff in acute care settings.
The examination of 3,000 sources identified no evaluated solutions to combat unprofessional behaviours in the UK.
Additionally, the study highlighted 12 essential elements to consider when designing interventions that can be common pitfalls. These include:
- Organisations frequently attribute unprofessional behaviour to individual factors, such as awareness or courage, overlooking the significant influence of workplace culture.
- A system solely focused on identifying and addressing ‘bad apples’ can deter employees from speaking up about more substantial issues within the work culture, leaving these problems unresolved.
- Some studies gauge their success by increasing awareness of bad behaviour, but this may be misleading. A more accurate measure can be obtained through logic models.
- The primary objective should be to enhance the well-being of staff and ensure patient safety. Prioritising ease of reporting is crucial. Still, it alone won’t yield results unless employees feel secure in using it.
- Encouraging individuals to intervene can backfire if they fear repercussions or lack a sense of safety, potentially leading to feelings of guilt.
- Systems that allow anonymous complaints can be vulnerable to misuse, including false reports. Implementing a review system can mitigate this risk.
- Staff engagement wanes if improvement efforts are perceived as insincere. This may occur when managers exhibit poor behaviour or when initiatives seem half-hearted.
- Quick fixes addressing singular issues fail to resolve broader problems and may hinder the development of more effective solutions.
- Any initiative must receive support from top-level management, especially when trust in leadership is low.
- Minority and female employees often experience more unprofessional behaviour but are frequently overlooked in proposed solutions. Striking a balance that targets these groups without isolating others is essential.
- While some strategies can be tailored to specific situations, this adaptability can complicate assessing what truly works.
- Many existing approaches lean either too heavily on practicality without a theoretical foundation or become overly theoretical without practicality. Combining both elements can yield more effective solutions.
The team has also released guidance for NHS teams to address bullying and unprofessional behaviours.
