Asked by: Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle (a) sexism, (b) racism and (c) bullying behaviour within the ambulance service; and if she will establish an independent body to review complaints made by ambulance workers.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone working in the National Health Service must feel safe from any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, or abuse, and feel confident that they can raise concerns, which will be taken seriously and acted on.
The Department welcomes the publication of the NHS England commissioned independent review into ambulance sector culture. NHS England has established a Delivery Board to deliver the review’s important recommendations. This includes actions led by the Office of the Chief Allied Health Professions at NHS England, and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, on stopping misogyny and improving sexual safety in the ambulance service. This programme of work will build on the work already underway through the NHS People Plan, and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the independent report by Carlo Breen into the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust’s historic management of concerns in relation to a Consultant Spinal Surgeon, published on 7 March 2024.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust commissioned the Spinal Patient Safety Look Back review in 2021. A report detailing the findings was published in July 2023. A second report was commissioned by the trust to review the historic management of concerns raised in relation to a particular surgeon. The findings of this report were published on 7 March 2024, and relate to issues that include bullying, speaking up, the duty of candour, governance, and the quality of disciplinary investigations at the trust.
The Government is already taking action in relation to policies relevant to the report’s findings. This includes strengthening leadership, the statutory duty of candour, and speaking up to promote an open and transparent learning culture in the National Health Service. We also expect NHS organisations to have robust policies in place to tackle bullying and harassment.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many allegations of bullying have been made against Ministers by staff in his Department in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No formal complaints of bullying have been raised through Defra’s dispute resolution process.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to help protect trans children from bullying and harassment in schools.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has sent a clear message to schools that bullying, including cyberbullying, for whatever reason, is unacceptable.
The department has provided over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying, this includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups.
In addition to this, on 19 December 2023 the department published the draft guidance for schools and colleges in relation to gender questioning children, along with a consultation, which was clear that bullying must never be tolerated. The consultation closed on 12 March 2024 and the responses will support the department to finalise the guidance for schools and colleges for final publication later this year.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting the wellbeing of gay, lesbian and bisexual young people.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Equality Hub Ministers regularly engage with their counterparts across Government on matters relating to LGB equality. This is because this Government is committed to improving the health and well-being of young people and we recognise that gay, lesbian and bisexual young people often face specific challenges.
This is why spending for children and young people’s mental health services has increased from £841 million in 2019/20 to just over £1 billion in 2022/23.
A further £3 million of funding has also been divided between five anti-bullying organisations to tackle bullying in schools. This includes projects that target homophobic and biphobic hate-related bullying.
In October 2022, we launched a Victim Support Service for anyone affected by or at risk of conversion practices, regardless of their sexual orientation, sex or transgender identity. The helpline can provide a safe, confidential listening and information service to anyone over the age of 13.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times since 26 October 2022 the Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire has met (a) current and (b) former firefighters who have experienced bullying, discrimination or sexual harassment at work.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire has prioritised engagement with the sector on integrity matters. This has included Chief Fire Officers, Fire and Rescue Authority Chairs, His Majesty’s Inspectorate, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Local Government Association and representative groups such as the Fire Brigades Union. In addition to regularly meeting frontline firefighters and police officers when visiting fire and police stations.
He will continue to meet with sector leaders to hear first-hand on these issues.
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire has corresponded with both current and former staff in fire and rescue services, who have raised concerns regarding bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
The Home Office will continue to call for action to ensure fire and rescue services are welcoming, respectful workplaces that enable all individuals who work in them to thrive.
Asked by: Baroness Sherlock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what data they collect on the religious identity of children who are bullied in schools.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold information on the religious identity of children that are bullied in schools.
The ‘National behaviour survey’ publishes data on a number of behaviour related topics, including bullying. The latest report, based on data from 2021/22, stated that 3% of those surveyed, who said they had been bullied, said it was due to their religion or belief. The ‘National behaviour survey’ can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64809defb32b9e0012a963ce/National_Behaviour_Survey_academic_year_2021_to_22_report.pdf.
The department is providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate-related bullying.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the document entitled Draft terms of reference for the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, what updates her Department has provided on relevant developments in its area of work to that group since 2019.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government condemns and strives to tackle all forms of discrimination, prejudice, and harassment, and the department is committed to working with other government departments to achieve this. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities over a range of issues. More broadly, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 2 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 16019 on tackling anti-Muslim hatred.
Every school and further education provider should actively promote the shared values, including mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. The department has published advice on promoting these values and made resources available on challenging anti-Muslim hate on the Educate Against Hate website, which can be accessed here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.
The department has also published the ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’ guidance, which directs schools to organisations who can provide support with tackling bullying related to race, religion and nationality. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
The department is providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations, which includes projects to tackle hate-related bullying on the basis of race and faith.
Ministers and departmental officials continue to work closely with Muslim groups, such as Tell MAMA, as the leading national organisation monitoring and supporting victims of anti-Muslim hatred. The department is committed to understanding this issue and to actively assess incidents affecting the Muslim community. The department welcomes guidance produced by Universities UK, which focuses on tackling anti-Muslim hatred. Further information on tackling anti-Muslim hatred can be found here: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/publications/tackling-islamophobia-and-anti-muslim.
Asked by: Baroness Manzoor (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent of racism and discrimination within the NHS; what steps NHS England are taking to collate data on this issue; and how they disseminate best practice to improve working culture within the NHS.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service is one of the most diverse organisations in this country. As of September 2023, 27.3% of hospital and community health service staff reported an ethnic minority background. However, data shows that disabled staff, staff from ethnic minority background, and staff with other protected characteristics face a worse experience of working in the NHS when it comes to abuse, bullying and harassment, and career progression.
Since 2016, NHS England has published an annual Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) report. Implementation of the WRES is a requirement for NHS commissioners and NHS healthcare providers, including independent organisations through the NHS standard contract. The WRES enables NHS organisations to better understand how they are performing against nine indicators covering issues such as board representation, career progression, and bullying and harassment. They are required to develop action plans to progress and improve against the indicators.
In June 2023, NHS England published the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan that sets out targeted actions to address prejudice and discrimination in the NHS workforce. NHS England has also provided guidance to assist trusts and integrated care boards in adopting an improvement approach to the implementation of this plan. It is supported by a repository of good practice and a dashboard, to enable organisations to measure progress.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impacts of endemic bullying of students and newly qualified midwives on (1) retention, and (2) the treatment of pregnant women, in the NHS, as highlighted in the #Saynotobullyinginmidwifery report published on 12 November 2023.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst no specific assessment has been made, the National Health Service takes bullying and harassment very seriously. All employers across the NHS should have a robust policy on bullying, outlining how it should be handled, and the support available to staff.
In June 2023, NHS England published their Equality Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan which set out a series of high impact actions, including the requirement for NHS organisations to review data by protected characteristics on bullying, harassment, discrimination, and violence, and to develop plans to improve staff experience. This includes promoting environments where staff feel they are able to speak up and raise concerns.
The plan also sets out the need for NHS organisations to provide psychological support to those who report that they have been a victim of bullying or harassment. NHS England has also developed an NHS Civility and Respect programme to tackle bullying and harassment in the NHS, and to create a culture of civility and respect.
On retention, we have set a very ambitious target in the Long Term Workforce Plan to reduce the overall leaver rate. We are not starting from scratch and a lot of work has been done through the NHS People Plan and NHS People Promise, to make the NHS a better and more modern employer by improving leadership and workplace culture, supporting staff health and wellbeing, and tackling issues such as bullying, harassment and discrimination. We will continue to prioritise this through the NHS National Retention Programme.