A BMA helpline for doctors facing bullying may be made available across the UK after proving popular in Scotland.
The Scottish service, launched in January, helps doctors facing with bullying, harassment or any other issue relating to ‘respect at work’.
It has received more than 20 calls, 18 of which have been pursued for further action, with a majority from junior doctors working in secondary care.
The BMA helpline is staffed by specially trained advisers who can give advice on how to best take action, such as whether to make a formal complaint or resolve the situation informally.
And, following the popularity of the helpline in Scotland, a motion at the BMA’s Annual Representatives Meeting in a couple of weeks’ time will call for a similar service to be rolled out across the rest of the UK.
BMA Scotland national director Jill Vickerman said: ‘Feedback from our members has told us that one of the barriers that stops people seeking support is that they find it stressful repeating their experiences to different people.
‘The dedicated portal allows members to discuss what they are experiencing once with someone local to them, who will go on and take their issue forward. If any BMA member in Scotland feels that they are experiencing bullying or harassment at work, I would encourage them to get in touch with us so that we can do all we can to support them.’
Scottish doctors suffering any of these issues can contact respectatwork@bma.org.uk with further advice available on the BMA website.
