A project to counter a culture of bullying and harassment at the Dunedin Hospital has been launched, with Otago District Health Board management staff acknowledging there are issues at the hospital.
Board chief executive Brian Rousseau yesterday said in a newsletter to staff, that a number of issues had been brought forward across a range of occupational groups following reports in the Otago Daily Times last October of harassment and bullying at the hospital.
A working group, including hospital staff and union representatives, would be set up to examine and address workplace culture.
Chief operating officer Vivian Blake said yesterday that last year's stories had ‘‘raised an issue that we needed to pick up on''.
Since the first article, similar concerns about staff behaviour and interaction had emerged across the whole hospital, among both clinical and non-clinical staff, she said.
Overall, there was a ‘‘really good'' workforce at the hospital and it was ‘‘reasonable'' to assume organisations of that size would have some communication issues.
‘‘I suppose it is just a matter of making sure we create an environment that recognises bullying is not acceptable.''
Hospital management was not hiding the problems, and needed to be open and honest.
‘‘Where you get the level of stress we have in this environment, and the number of patients coming through, it exacerbates things. When you've got staff working in earnest to deliver care in a safe way, you are bound to get issues of misbehaviour and miscommunication.''
Union organisers and representatives welcomed the move. Public Service Association Dunedin organiser Julie Morton said the union did get people approaching them about bullying at the hospital.
Not every complaint amounted to actual bullying but staff who were stressed and overworked could become short and unpleasant with each other.
The fundamental problem was a lack of people on the ground, she said. ‘‘Leadership needs to be stronger within the DHB. People need to take responsibility for staff under them and take a more active role when dealing with complaints.''
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Otago representative Chris Wisely said the board appeared to be taking the issue seriously and was to be commended on its approach.
Mrs Blake would lead the Workplace Culture Development Project working group alongside a facilitator.
It was ‘‘quite likely'' the process would throw up more issues and incidents of inappropriate workplace behaviour at the hospital, she said.
