‘Bullied’ health manager brands payout an insult
A former HR boss bullied while based at Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban says the £3,000 settlement he has been offered as part of NHS Highland’s healing process for harassed workers is an insult.
Sandy Wilkie, who joined Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership as NHS Highland’s head of human resources in the area in October 2017, says the bullying he experienced over 18 months from ‘the dark heart’ at Kilmory led to depression, being signed off sick, a marriage break-up and eventually saw him out of his job having to withdraw his pension early and scrape a living as a pot washer in a hotel.
Mr Wilkie, who has neither accepted or rejected the financial settlement offered as part of a process set up to help hundreds of former employees bullied at NHS Highland, says offers are being downscaled and ‘stink of budget restraints’.
His own case was classified as Level 1 which is short-term harm. He believes he should have been at Level 3. Level 5 is a suicidal-stage when a person can no longer work, he said.
‘This settlement process, which is taxed and has National Insurance taken off, is being driven by accountants. It’s an insult. Where is the compassion and integrity? It’s not there. I call it a failing process not a healing process,’ said Mr Wilkie, who has taken his concerns to Secretary for Health Jeane Freeman and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Mr Wilkie also said it was ‘unethical’ that a person he named as one of his five bullies was on the remuneration panel deciding how much he got.
‘I lost my job, my health, my marriage and went from £52,000 a year to an £8-anhour job in a hotel – that’s not someone who is bouncing back. I’ve not accepted the £3,000 offer or rejected it, I’ve told them it’s an insult.’
He said it was only the money left to him after his father died that made it possible to start a new life as a partner in a
HR consultancy in England. ‘There are people who have been left fragile by the bullying experience and the pittances they are being offered could tip them over the edge. There is an absolute scandal brewing.’
The healing process was set up after allegations of bullying raised in 2018 at NHS Highland were the subject of a review led by John Sturrock QC. The results of that review indicated hundreds of health workers had potentially experienced inappropriate behaviour at the health board.
‘More people have come forward than they originally estimated and I believe they had already set a financial budget for the process...so they are having to trim back the settlements,’ said Mr Wilkie.
Fiona Hogg, NHS Highland’s director of human resources said there was no ‘pot’ and that a framework sets out the compensation levels. ‘The financial recommendations have to be signed off by NHS Highland chief executive and the Remuneration Committee. This is public money, for which we are accountable and there are strict rules and processes required, as you would expect,’ she said. ‘Those going through the Healing Process are not subject to non-disclosure agreements so can share this information publicly, should they choose to do so, however, NHS Highland cannot comment on the specifics of any current or former colleague or their situation,’ said Ms Hogg.
An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said it would not comment on individual cases but the wellbeing of its employees is a priority.
NHS workers needing support can email a self-help group at Tpartysupportgroup@ icloud.com