Claims NHS chiefs knew about bullying SIX years ago

A FORMER senior manager at embattled NHS Highland says he blew the whistle on its bullying culture six years ago – and nothing was done about it.

The service has been rocked by claims by four clinicians who said last month that bullying has been a problem for at least a decade and was putting patients’ safety at risk.

Since then, dozens of employees have come forward to claim they have been a victim of bullying, prompting the GMB union to demand a public inquiry.

Mike Evans, a chartered accountant and former non-executive board member, said: "I was made aware of allegations of bullying roughly six years ago and it came to my attention through the then associate medical director of Raigmore, Rod Harvey, who’s now the medical director.

"For him to say [last month] he was unaware of any bullying I, therefore, found quite surprising."

Last month, in response to the original allegations, Mr Harvey said he did not recognise a "bullying culture" within NHS Highland.

Responding to Mr Evans’s allegations yesterday, he said: "I can certainly confirm that several years ago I did informally raise some concerns over inappropriate bullying-type behaviour, of which I had become aware, with Mike Evans when he was a non-executive director of the board.

"As I have stated recently, it would be naïve to believe that no bullying or inappropriate behaviour could occur in an organisation of the size of NHS Highland and I have certainly not said that I am unaware of any bullying.

"I have, however, been clear that I do not recognise a systemic culture of bullying throughout the organisation, which was the main thrust of the original letter from the representatives of the medical advisory committees, and would stand by that statement."

Mr Evans said the matters highlighted to him by Mr Harvey related to "bullying and harassment of two senior staff at Raigmore."

He said: "I was previously chairman of the governance committee for Raigmore and also chairman of the audit committee, and might have been expected to have been called to a meeting to consider the allegations formally – but that never happened."

He said he took the allegations to then chairman Garry Coutts, who suggested a meeting with the chief operating officer Elaine Mead [now chief executive]. However, he said Mr Coutts soon left the meeting, leaving him alone with Ms Mead.

"The upshot of the meeting was that I was very uncomfortable, given the nature of the allegations, and, as a consequence, actually considered resigning," he said.

"She displayed characteristics of someone quite dogmatic."

Mr Evans quit the board in March last year, to avoid a conflict of interest after securing a job with Scott-Moncrieff, NHS Highland’s internal auditors.

He said he contemplated taking the allegations to the health secretary at the time but felt then that it was wrong to risk damaging the service’s reputation.

"My decision, initially, was to stay and look for evidence. Did I find it? Specifically, no. Did I find indicators? Yes, I believe I possibly did."

He said he had since written to current health secretary Jeane Freeman.

According to Michael Foxley, another former director, health chiefs in Highland are averse to criticism.

He said he was unaware bullying was a problem, and that the issue "never came to the board" but added: "Constructive criticism of the board was not welcome."

Serving board member and Inverness councillor Alasdair Christie said: "We take bullying very seriously and we’d encourage people to come forward to partake in this and to share the experiences they’ve had."

NHS Highland chairman David Alston was surprised by Mr Evans’s comments.

"I was on the board with Mike both as a non-executive and as chairman. He at no time raised any outstanding concerns or new concerns relating to bullying with me informally or formally. In the absence of any further information, it is not possible to comment further.

"More generally, I would reiterate that NHS Highland does not tolerate bullying and harassment."