Nearly one in five doctors in training has witnessed someone being bullied in their current post, and more than one in four has experienced undermining behaviour themselves, according to a major survey from the GMC.
The findings from its annual survey reveal that more than 2,000 doctors in training (5.2%) had raised a concern about patient safety in 2013 and 13.2% said they had experienced bullying at work. Responding to the survey Dr Kitty Mohan, Co-Chair of the BMA’s Junior Doctors’ Committee said:
“It is concerning that one in ten junior doctors reported that they had suffered from bullying or harassment and that two in ten had witnessed a colleague suffering the same treatment.”
“We must do more to combat any environment that allows bullying or harassment by encouraging NHS staff to share their concerns immediately. Junior doctors have a right to carry out their job in a workplace that is free from any form of intimidation.”
The survey found that:
- The number of comments on patient safety raised by doctors training in emergency medicine posts have increased since 2012 (from 204 to 287)
- 5,863 respondents had been concerned about patient safety but their concerns had been addressed
- Female trainees and trainees who obtained their primary medical qualification within the UK, are more likely to raise concerns
The GMC says the findings suggest that hospitals need to engage with doctors in training and use their experiences to help change the culture of their organisations.
