‘More must be done’

Published: 04 October 2019 Ezine

Seconding a motion to protect members from bullying and harassment at work at the recent TUC congress, the Society's vice-president reminded delegates that the issue is consistently on the agenda year after year.

The motion by the College of Podiatry asked the General Council and all the unions to work together to ensure that the issue is taken seriously, and more is done to protect members.

In the most recent NHS staff survey, more than a quarter of respondents reported at least one incident of bullying and harassment in the previous 12 months.

Claire Donaldson, the Society's vice-president, told the conference that 40% of radiography staff who responded to an SoR survey claimed they had been bullied by colleagues.

She said, "It is clear that change is needed. We need to understand why this is happening and respond more effectively to ensure that individuals are supported to raise concerns.

"Bullying and harassment has an insidious and negative effect on the individual. It can ruin team dynamics, destroy trust and ruin careers. It also has a negative effect on patient safety and care and has a huge financial impact," Claire added.