Bullying and harassment towards Mansfield hospital staff ‘will not be tolerated'

In November 2020, the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs King’s Mill and Mansfield Community hospitals, launched an anti-bullying campaign.

However, since this campaign launched, the trust has seen a small increase in unacceptable and threatening verbal and physical abuse from a minority of visitors, partners and patients towards colleagues.

A further anti-aggression campaign has now been introduced in hospitals and online, with its purpose to remind people that aggressive behaviour towards colleagues will not be accepted or tolerated.

Richard Mitchell, chief executive at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “We will not tolerate any abuse, bullying and harassment towards colleagues. There is no excuse for this behaviour in any of our hospitals.

“We have put simple measures in place that we are all required to comply with, in order for us to protect our colleagues, patients and visitors and to minimise the transmission of Covid-19.

“The huge majority of people are behaving well, but sadly a minority are letting themselves and others down. In years to come, when those people are asked ‘what did you do during the pandemic?’ I hope they reflect and say ‘you know what, I got it wrong – I spent my time taking photographs of nurses and putting hurtful comments up on Facebook’.

“We will keep you safe, but if you behave like this, you are not welcome in our hospitals and you will be escorted from our hospitals by our security team. Please treat our colleagues with kindness. We are doing our best in this current situation to continue to look after you, your loved ones and our local community.”