Eastbourne MP calls for trust-wide investigation into NHS bullying and harassment
Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde has called on East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust’s (ESHT) Chief Executive to expand their investigation into allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination across the entire trust.
The BBC reported in August that an independent review into the general surgery department at ESHT found a "significant proportion" of staff reported experiencing bullying, harassment or discrimination within the previous 12 months.
ESHT, which runs both Eastbourne District General Hospital and Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, have begun investigations in response to the findings.
Following news of the review, several current and former members of staff contacted the Eastbourne MP to raise their own concerns about their experiences within ESHT.
Mr Babarinde has now written to the Trust’s Chief Executive Jayne Black calling for the investigation to be expanded and for staff to be given a safe and confidential way to come forward.
In a statement, the MP said: “There must be zero tolerance for bullying, harassment and discrimination within our NHS, or indeed in any workplace.
“Every member of staff, whether serving or former, should be able to raise concerns safely, without fear of reprisal, and have confidence that those concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon.
“That is why I have asked East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to urgently expand its review across the Trust.”
This response comes after concerns were raised among staff at ESHT about whether the Freedom to Speak Up whistleblowing initiative is ‘functioning as a genuinely safe and independent route for minority and internationally recruited staff’.
The BBC said the review found “women, non-consultant medical staff and ethnic minority staff were among those experiencing the greatest harm”.