BOSSES at University Hospital Southampton have launched a major review after disturbing bullying claims made on social media left senior bosses shocked and saddened.

A series of posts in the private Facebook group Southampton NHS Families labelled the hospital workplace as “toxic” and some management “unsupportive” and “untrustworthy”.

One person, who posted anonymously, alleged that they were so badly bullied they thought about suicide.

In response to these claims, UHS said it would carry out “an immediate review of the current mechanisms in place to enable our staff to feel able to speak up with confidence and raise concerns independently of their line manager”.

Steve Harris, chief people officer, said it was “upsetting and shocking” to hear staff describe their experiences.

He said they have “taken action against individuals where there is evidence” of workplace bullying or harassment “and will continue to do so”.

He added: “UHS strives to provide a positive work environment where everyone can thrive, feel valued and that they belong; free of bullying, harassment or discrimination of any kind.

“There are existing systems in place to report and support people experiencing unacceptable behaviours and I am committed to making sure that they are effective and everyone involved in these processes feel supported.

“Where they are not, we will take whatever action is needed to drive change.”

Among the most concerning posts - many of which were shared anonymously - was one person who claimed they thought about suicide.

The post said: “I myself have worked in multiple departments and have left each one due to horrific bullying, particularly from management.

“I was bullied so badly last year that I had thoughts of ending my own life.”

Another added: “I shouldn’t have felt a lesser person and made to feel unvalued and inferior to the detriment of my mental health.

“I too cried a lot in the car when I left after my shifts.”

This comes after hospital board papers published in May revealed that 16 cases of bullying and harassment were raised at UHS in 2022, with a further six cases this year so far.

This was compared to 29 in 2020 and 28 in 2021.

A similar report published in March highlighted that 28.4 per cent of staff did not feel valued by their team and 27 per cent did not receive the respect they deserved from colleagues at work.

Figures in the report also showed that while 69 per cent of staff felt safe to speak up about concerns in the organisation, only 56.6 per cent were confident the concerns would be addressed - a decline of 3.6 per cent from 2021.

  • If you have been affected by anything you have read in this report, you can speak to Samaritans by calling 116 123.