Cost of bullying and harassment in the NHS

Bullying and harassment is costing the NHS £2.3 billion a year, according to a new study providing evidence of a “crucial financial incentive” to tackle the problem. The report, by researchers at Middlesex and Plymouth universities, is the first comprehensive (if cautious) estimate of the financial impact of bullying and is based on the costs of sickness absence, employee turnover, sickness presenteeism and employment relations. Middlesex University London Business School research fellow Roger Kline co-authored the report and said that while health service boards have some understanding of the impact on staff and patient care, they “rarely if ever discuss the financial costs of bullying”.