'Serious concerns' over bullying at NHS trust

Some conditions have improved at the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Cumberland Infirmary

Disabled and non-white staff at a Cumbrian hospital trust are more likely to be bullied and discriminated against than their colleagues, a survey has found.

The annual NHS Staff Survey suggested improvements have been made at the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC).

But its chief executive, Lyn Simpson, said "serious concerns" remained about the trust's organisational culture.

The survey showed staff with an ethnic minority background were twice as likely to be discriminated against than their white colleagues, while staff with health conditions were more likely to be harassed or bullied by managers.

Nearly one in five (18%) respondents with long-term conditions or illnesses said they had been bullied, harassed or abused by managers, compared to 9% without.

And over the past year, 16% of workers from ethnic minority backgrounds said they had been discriminated against by colleagues - 8% of white staff said the same.

Ms Simpson said the figures made for "sobering reading" and that "action" had been taken.

She said "behaviour safety training" had been delivered to 1,000 staff members and the trust's Human campaign, which aims to create a more inclusive culture, would be extended.

Lyn Simpson, chief executive at the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Thousands of responses to the survey were submitted from staff at the trust, with results showing some improvement on 2023's figures.

There was a rise in staff willing to recommend NCIC as a place to work (from 43% to 51%) and in the proportion of staff who said the organisation's top priority is the care of patients.

Ms Simpson said: “This is a real positive step forward and is telling us that some of the changes we are putting in place are having a positive impact.

"There is still a lot of work to do to catch up with the average scores of similar trusts, but there are clear signs of improvement, which is very encouraging.”