Disabled staff at the Christie Trust are more likely to experience bullying from manager

Disabled staff at the Christie Trust are more likely to experience bullying, harassment or abuse from their manager as their non-disabled colleagues, new figures suggest.

Disability equality charity Scope said the figures are "deplorable", and urged the Government to strengthen its Disability Confident scheme – which employers enlist in to improve access and working conditions for disabled staff – and better protect disabled workers' rights.

The NHS England figures come from the NHS staff survey conducted in 2022.

They show 9.4% of disabled staff at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust experienced bullying, harassment or abuse in the previous 12 months.

This fell to 7.4% of non-disabled staff, meaning disabled employees were 1.3 times as likely to experience harassment.

Across England, 16.4% of disabled staff said they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from a manager – 1.7 times more likely than non-disabled employees.

Thomas Hamilton-Shaw, policy manager at Scope, said: "It’s deplorable that disabled people are more likely to experience bullying from colleagues and abuse from the public.

"Our public sector should be leading the way when it comes to disability employment.

"For too long it’s been too hard for disabled people to get into work, stay in work and thrive in work. This needs to change."

The figures also show 17% of disabled staff at the Christie Trust said they experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from other colleagues in the last 12 months – higher than the 13.1% of their non-disabled colleagues.

Similarly, disabled employees were more likely to be abused by the public, with 13.5% reporting at least one instance in the last year, compared to 10.9% of non-disabled staff.

Mr Hamilton-Shaw said the Government must address this by strengthening the Disability Confident scheme so employers "actually improve conditions on the ground", and increase funding for the Equalities and Human Rights Commissions to better protect disabled workers.

He also urged employers to "actively improve their working environment", including implementing reverse mentor schemes for senior and mid-level employees.

Dr Navina Evans, NHS England’s chief workforce, training and education officer, said: "While the latest data shows some progress in reducing the proportion of disabled staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from their managers, there is clearly significant work still to do and it remains completely unacceptable that anyone is experiencing this at work.

"Discrimination and bullying have no place in the NHS, and that is why as part of our equality, diversity and inclusion improvement plan, trusts will be expected to take proactive and preventive action to reduce incidents of harassment, bullying and abuse experienced by staff with a disability, as well as by those who share other protected characteristics."

David Smithson, Deputy Director of Workforce at The Christie, said: "The Christie recognises the value that people with disabilities can bring to our Trust and are taking action to continually improve how we recruit, retain and develop disabled people. This has been recognised through our achievement of Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) status.

"Our 2022 staff survey results show significant improvement compared to 2021. Staff reporting harassment, bullying or abuse from their line manager has improved from 12.9% to 9.4% compared to a national average of 16.1%. This is the 12th best score out of 212 Trusts in England. In terms of harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives or the public in last 12 months we are the top ranked trust in England. Harassment, bullying or abuse from other colleagues in last 12 months has also improved from 19.9% to 17% compared to the national average of 24.8%."