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NHS Trust Accused of Toxic Culture, Bullying
23 Apr
Summary
- Former staff allege a decade of workplace bullying and harassment.
- An internal probe was flawed, contributing to a manager's suicide.
- Trust apologizes for slow handling of complaints and staff distress.
Former staff members have come forward with allegations of a decade-long toxic work environment at Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust (PHU), citing persistent bullying and harassment. Harvey Cooper, an ex-NHS worker, described the atmosphere as "toxic from start to finish," recounting experiences of homophobic abuse, physical injury, and severe mental distress, including suicidal thoughts and two heart attacks. His grievances, raised in 2022, were acknowledged by the trust as handled with unacceptable delays.
These allegations are compounded by the case of A&E manager Sam Carter, who died by suicide in September 2022. A coroner's ruling indicated workplace investigation stress contributed to her death. An independent investigation by Verita in June 2023 described PHU's handling of Carter's case as "poorly specified, unacceptably delayed and unfair," with messages suggesting she felt unsupported and targeted.
Sam's family expressed deep disappointment with the trust's lack of communication and compassion following her death, stating they were treated "deplorably." Another former cleaner, Lisa-Lynne Beckman, who resigned in August 2024 after nearly 20 years, alleged favouritism and a lack of empathy among management. The trust has acknowledged failings in providing staff support and stated it is committed to improving its environment and disciplinary procedures.
