Tim Field - Founder of 'Bully Online'
Consistent 'nit-picking', fault-finding and criticism of a trivial nature. (There may be some truth in comments but they are blown out of proportion). Trivial issues raised regularly betray bullying.
Being singled out from a group and treated differently.
Being Isolated or separated from your colleagues, or excluded.
Being belittled, demeaned and patronized.
Being humiliated, shouted at and threatened, often in front of others.
Being overloaded with work, or having work taken away and replaced either with more menial tasks, or no work at all.
Having your responsibility increased but your authority taken away.
Having Annual leave, sick leave and especially compassionate leave refused.
Being denied training necessary to do your job.
Having unrealistic goals/targets set which change as you approach them.
Deadlines which are changed at short notice or you are given no notice until it is too late.
Finding everything you say or do is twisted, distorted, and misrepresented.
Being subjected to disciplinary procedures with verbal or written warnings imposed for trivial or fabricated reasons and without proper investigation.
Being pushed into constructive dismissal, or early or ill health retirement.
"I found one day in school a boy of medium size ill-treating a smaller boy. I expostulated, but he replied: ‘The bigs hit me, so I hit the babies; that’s fair.’ In these words he epitomized the history of the human race."
Bertrand Russell
MEDIA: BULLYING IN THE NHS
BULLYING 'PERMEATING' PATIENT CARE
Warns Healthcare Commission.
A bullying culture in the NHS is “permeating the delivery of care”, Healthcare Commission chair Sir Ian Kennedy has told Health Service Journal.
Sir Ian’s warning about the “corrosive” nature of bullying among NHS staff and managers comes in the week the watchdog is being absorbed into the Care Quality Commission .... full story HERE
NHS BOSSES 'BULLY ONE IN TWELVE STAFF'
Nearly one in 12 staff working in the NHS has experienced bullying or harassment by their manager, according to government figures. An official survey of doctors, nurses and administrators shows the scale of the culture of bullying that has to be tackled by hospitals and primary care trusts.
NHS Employers, the body responsible for workforce conditions in the health service, blamed the high figures on organisational change and uncertainty last year, when many trusts were facing redundancies and financial cuts. But other groups, such as the British Medical Association, believe that the introduction of targets into hospitals has also encouraged bullying, because it can be mistakenly seen as a way of hectoring staff to reduce waiting times .... full story HERE
NHS ACCUSED OF RACISM
The NHS has been accused of racism after figures showed applicants from ethnic minorities find it harder to get a job, are more likely to be bullied if they do and have more grievances taken out against them.
Figures from the South East Coast NHS, one of ten regions in England, found that although black and minority ethnic groups made up almost a third of applicants for jobs they only represented 16 per cent of appointees.
They were also involved in a quarter of disciplinary cases and one in four bullying and harassment reports .... full story HERE
Benjamin Disraeli
Bullying can cause stress which can ruin your health:
Bullying can ultimately lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the victim, or Cumulative Stress Disorder (stress build up due to constant bullying). Stress can lead to the cause or aggravation of the following conditions;
High Blood Pressure, Heart Attack, Migraine, Hay Fever and Allergies, Asthma, Intense Itching, Peptic Ulcers, Constipation, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Menstrual difficulties, Flatulence and indigestion, Depression, Overactive Thyroid Gland, Diabetes, Skin Disorders, Tuberculosis and Colitis. There has also been links to stress and certain forms of Cancer.
Stress can have a significant negative impact on well being of the victim there are links between stress and heart disease, alcoholism, mental breakdown, job dissatisfaction, accidents, family problems.
Bullying can lead to an increase in sickness absence, absenteeism that costs the NHS between 300 and 400 Million pounds a year, as it can lead to stress and lead to the above conditions.
Anna Julia Cooper
WHAT CAN WE DO ? "Today’s workplace has become heartless and soulless. Employees are seen as units of labour, automatons, functionaries, objects for achieving designated tasks, and as costs to be minimised."
Tim Field - 'Bully Online'
If possible make it clear to the bully that their behaviour is unacceptable (try to stay professional, polite but firm).
Even if this is a manager you are quite within you rights to do this.
Keep a diary of dates, times and witnesses. Note down just the facts of the situation and how it made you feel after.
Often bullying is done without witnesses but you should keep a diary.
Note legally your diary is admissible evidence (can be used in court) and in previous cases employees have won based on their regular diary entries.
Tell someone you trust who can support you and be there when you need to talk. Or talk to your GP. If you feel that you are adversely affected by bullying and subsequent stress, and your GP feels it is appropriate that you should have some time off work, then ask your GP to specify that it is "Work related stress" he is signing you off with on your sick certificate.
Contact your local Unison steward or phone extension 57088 for support from Unison and details of what action to take.
Code of Conduct for NHS Managers
USEFUL LINKS (Open in new window)
ACAS: Bullying at work - A guide for Employees
Andrea Adams Trust
Anti-Bullying Network
Bully Online Website
BullyBusters
Just Fight On
National Bullying Helpline
TUC: Information and Advice about Bullying
WorkplaceBullying.Co.UK
Discussion Forum about Bullying (’Just Fight On‘)
NHS Choices : Stress
Health and Safety Executive : Stress
The UK Stress Management Society
Channel 4's 4health : Stress.
