‘Culture of bullying and undermining’ uncovered in trust’s maternity service

Trainee midwives at a struggling trust have raised serious concerns about bullying and feeling afraid to speak up, an NHS England report has revealed.

Experiences of pre-registration midwifery trainees at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospital, part of University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust, are detailed in a recent NHS England workforce, education and training report following a visit in January.

The report said learners at BHH reported a “concerning culture of bullying and undermining”, with some midwives displaying hostility and rudeness, and one student constantly feeling like they were in “fight or flight mode”.

At GHH, students were aware how to raise concerns but described it as a “waste of time”, telling NHSE qualified midwives had informed them they frequently raised concerns about staffing levels without these being resolved.

Meanwhile, at BHH trainees said lack of action taken when they tried to raise concerns had created an environment where learners were reluctant to voice fears about patients or seek guidance on patient care.

The NHSE report said students provided multiple instances of trying to raise concerns which were either not acted on or they experienced repercussions for having attempted to speak up.

One person expressed concerns about a woman who had experienced severe bleeding following birth but their supervising midwife dismissed their concern. 

They then escalated the matter to another staff member and was taken more seriously, but as a result, the student said their supervising midwife “made my life hell” for the rest of the shift.

NHSE said it heard examples where midwives made derogatory comments about students in public, including about one person’s weight, which caused them to leave the building in tears. 

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Source: HSJ, 24 May 2024