An MP has strongly criticised management at his local NHS board and council for their ‘extremely disappointing’ response to bullying concerns.

Local MP Brendan O’Hara says a staff survey carried out in Argyll & Bute health and care services falls well short of what is needed and has pledged to raise the issue with the Health Secretary.

He has been joined by Jackie Baillie MSP, who has already written to Jeane Freeman urging her to take action and instruct local services to carry out an independent investigation into bullying and harassment.

Argyll & Bute health and care partnership (HSCP) has pushed back against the claims and defended its approach.

Chief officer Joanna Macdonald said: “It is important that our focus and energy remains on rectifying the issues raised and improving the culture, rather than conducting further reviews which may delay us providing some closure for staff who are the most important people in this whole issue.” 

Mr O’Hara, four MSPs, 11 local councillors and three union representatives claimed in a letter last week that staff complaints were being ‘swept under the carpet’.

They demanded to know when the independent review into workplace harassment called for by John Sturrock QC would take place.

His 2019 report concluded hundreds of NHS Highland staff could have been the victims of bullying and recommended that a separate, further review was needed for Argyll & Bute.

In response, the bosses of NHS Highland, Argyll & Bute council and the local health and social care partnership (HSCP) pointed to a staff survey carried out earlier this year.

That reply, seen by healthandcare.scot, says the findings are being taken ‘extremely seriously’ and outlines a range of steps being taken in response to the engagement exercise.

‘The results of the review conducted by an external agency, the Progressive Partnership, were reported by the Chief Officer to NHS Highland Board, the Integration Joint Board, and Staff Partnership and issued by email to all health and social care staff in May 2020,’ it states, adding:

‘In addition, over 340 staff attended virtual sessions which provided the opportunity to discuss the findings, which the Chief Officer and her team have accepted in their entirety.

‘We are now focused on delivering a change in culture.’

However Mr O’Hara has said he is “extremely disappointed” with the response.

He told healthandcare.scot: “I believe it stretches credibility to the limit for NHS Highland, Argyll & Bute Council and the HSCP to now claim that Sturrock’s recommendation of “a separate review in and about the functioning management in Argyll & Bute should be commenced” could be met by having a market research company carry out a staff survey.

“Of course, the staff survey may well have a role to play in identifying behaviours and may help employees highlight instances of bullying and harassment, but it does not and cannot possibly meet the remit laid down by John Sturrock of properly reviewing “the functioning management in Argyll & Bute”.

“In light of this response, we have absolutely no alternative but to raise this formally with the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman MSP, who I understand has already this week received a number of letters from current and former staff members demanding that Sturrock’s independent review be put in place.”

The Scottish government backed the approach taken by the NHS and council but ministers are not ruling out intervening.

A spokeswoman said: “An independent review to explore workplace cultures in Argyll & Bute has been carried out.

“The outputs of this review, which responds to recommendations made in the Sturrock Review, have been shared with leadership of the Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership, as well as NHS Highland, so they may identify any issues relating to the day-to-day management or service provision in Argyll & Bute and the general workings of the HSCP.

“While it would not be appropriate for us to comment on individual cases, the Cabinet Secretary [for Health] is taking a close interest in this and considering whether any further action is required.”

Joanna Macdonald, Chief Officer for Argyll and Bute HSCP, said: “It was recommended in the Sturrock Report to carry out a review of Culture within Argyll and Bute and this took place earlier this year.

“The findings from this review were published in May and we offered a sincere apology to colleagues who had indicated that they had experienced bullying and harassment and we immediately put in place a 100 day action plan to address the key findings in addition to our existing culture programme activity. 

It is therefore very disappointing that there are continued requests for a further review when the two reviews have already confirmed the issues that we need to address and we have already put in place a range of actions and interventions to deal with these. 

“It is important that our focus and energy remains on rectifying the issues raised and improving the culture, rather than conducting further reviews which may delay us providing some closure for staff who are the most important people in this whole issue. 

“The HSCP is committed to an independent progress review in Spring 2021, which will include all health and social care staff within the HSCP, and this will enable recognition of the progress made and those areas requiring further improvement.”

 “The health and wellbeing of our workforce remains a priority and we are committed to a zero tolerance approach to bullying and any issues raised will be thoroughly investigated through the appropriate HR processes.

“Former NHS Highland employees who believe harm has been done to them have access to an independent Healing Process and a number of staff have participated in this already.

“This is in addition to launching an Employee Assistance Programme and confidential Guardian "Speak Up" service for employees, which is also independent.”

 

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