'Healing process' offered to bullied NHS Highland staff

NHS Highland says it has offered staff who have experienced bullying an "independent healing process" for handling their concerns.

Current and former employees have been given four options, which include "being heard", an apology and access to psychological therapies.

They can also opt to have their case heard by an independent review panel.

A group of Highlands GPs exposed a "culture of bullying" at NHS Highland in September 2018.

An independent review by lawyer John Sturrock QC the following year suggested there were potentially hundreds of people who had experienced bullying at the health board.

In response, NHS Highland started work on an action plan to address problems identified by the review.

The Scottish government has provided funding for what the health board calls its "healing process".

The four options have been made available to current and former employees who had experienced bullying in the period up to and including 31 December 2019.

They can opt for more than one option, with the review panel discussions being held remotely in line with Covid-19 social distancing requirements.

NHS Highland said for those who are not eligible or choose not to access the Healing Process, there were a number of ways in which they could access support, including a recently launched employee assistance programme.