NHS Forth Valley staff say they worked under 'culture of fear'

Staff at a Falkirk hospital failed to report mistakes under a "culture of fear", an independent review has heard.

A&E workers at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert said they faced bullying, humiliation and felt out of depth with certain jobs.

A culture and governance review was commissioned by NHS Forth Valley after unions said they feared problems could compromise patient safety.

The Scottish government said it welcomed the review's recommendations.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unison reported "very serious concerns" over "unsafe practices and a culture of intimidation" to the health board in November.

Initially reported in the Daily Record newspaper, the review team found that nursing staff were "fearful of being publicly humiliated by managers".

Although staff were commended for their hard work, the review criticised the health board for not reporting high levels of staff sickness and resignation.

It said: "The review team were given examples of reluctance to report incidents or near misses as a consequence of a culture of poor follow-up and lack of corrective action.

"Staff felt it was futile and to do so may be held against them."

The review also said that although the pandemic had exacerbated problems, it was not the cause of issues.

Bob McGlashan, a senior RCN officer, said that staff across the NHS and social care are working under "incredible pressure".

He said: "It is completely unacceptable for anyone to be subject to bullying or any other form of intimidation.

"We look forward to working with our members and NHS Forth Valley to implement these recommendations in full to ensure nursing staff feel safe and are able to provide high quality patient care."

The review made a number of recommendations including strengthening leadership and reviewing staffing, as well as improving relationships and information sharing.

NHS Forth Valley chief executive Cathie Cowan, who commissioned the review in December last year, thanked staff who shared their experiences.

She said: "It is important that any concerns raised by staff or their representatives are taken very seriously and fully explored in a fair and open way."

A Scottish government spokesperson added: "We are pleased to see the board take swift action after serious allegations were made by staff representatives.

"We will support the board in taking forward the recommendations and will seek assurance that these are fully implemented."