New Zealand / Health

Doctors and nurses vow to fight bullying in hospitals

20:48 pm on 5 August 2015

A union says junior doctors must be able to raise problems like bullying without fear of repercussions at work.

The Resident Doctors' Association has released the findings of a survery of its members in February.

It shows that 600 junior or resident doctors working in public hospitals experienced or witnessed sexual harassment, bullying or inappropriate behaviour over the past two years.

Its national secretary, Deborah Powell, said resident doctors needed a workplace that fosters mutual respect, rather than fear.

Nurses agreed that more needed to be done to stop bullying in public hospitals, with the associate professional services manager of the Nurses Organisation, Hilary Graham-Smith, agreeing it was a major problem.

Doctors and nurses vow to fight bullying in hospitals