Care staff bullying victims speak out
The impacts of bullying within Argyll and Bute health and care services have been laid bare as victims spoke to the Argyllshire Advertiser about their experiences.
As reported in last week’s edition, the deadline for NHS Highland’s Healing Process falls at the end of March.
An Argyll and Bute Culture Group has also been set up to address bullying in the wider Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and is due to provide a progress report in the next few weeks.
NHS Highland chairman Professor Boyd Robertson has apologised, while the Healing Process invites victims to come forward.
An HSCP spokesperson said last week that the organisation was ‘committed to an independent progress review in the spring, which will include all health and social care staff within the HSCP as well as the wider NHS Highland population, and this will enable recognition of the progress made and those areas requiring further improvement’.
As these processes continue, news broke that Argyll and Bute Council has been rebuked by an employment tribunal as former social worker Melani Erlank was awarded almost £27,000 for unfair dismissal.
She was sacked in September 2019 following a long-running dispute in which she claimed to have been bullied by her manager.
As the employment tribunal found, the local authority allowed the issue to ‘fester’ for years, with senior managers ‘supportive’ of the manager while having ‘no will’ to help Ms Erlank.
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: ‘We are committed to doing all possible to create a positive working environment for our employees. We take seriously any complaints about employees’ working experience and will continue to progress, with the HSCP, development of a constructive culture that supports all our employees in all the many different roles required to deliver effective services.’
To register for the NHS Highland Healing Process by March 31, visit www.healing-process.co.uk, email healingprocess@cmpsolutions. com or call 03333 445892.