NHS doctors face bullying and reprisal for speaking out

Fewer than a fifth of doctors are satisfied with their organisation’s response to whistleblowing, a survey by BMA Scotland suggests.

The poll found some doctors fear being bullied by managers as well as being blacklisted or marginalised if they speak out.

BMA Scotland carried out an online survey with 436 responses.

Just over half (51%) of doctors surveyed had experience of whistleblowing, with patient safety the most common reason for doing so.

Only 17% said they were satisfied with their organisation’s response to whistleblowing.

Some said they were aware of repercussions from whistleblowing – with 56% saying this took the form of bullying and 39% saying doctors’ mental states were questioned.

One doctor responded to the survey saying their health board had made up false complaints, referred them to the medical regulator and blacklisted them in response to raising concerns.

Another said complainants had been “interrogated while in tears”.

Meanwhile another doctor from an ethnic minority background said international graduates were rarely taken seriously.

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Source: Medscape, 30 August 2024