NHS staff told to stop moaning and come up with solutions

In an effort to boost morale NHS bosses have banned staff from moaning unless they come up with a solution to the problem.

Some staff at NHS Lothian described the new rules, which have been agreed by the authority’s board but not yet put into practice, as an “absolute joke”.

The new rules also ban workers from criticising colleagues or disagreeing with them in front of patients and relatives; from imposing personal beliefs on families or staff; and from blaming others or other departments for mistakes in the presence of patients and relatives.

The plans were drawn up after a report into a bullying scandal revealed that an “undermining, intimidating, demeaning, threatening and hostile working environment” existed in parts of the trust.

Alan Boyter, director of human resources at NHS Lothian, said: “Staff told us the positive behaviours they wanted to demonstrate and see but they also told us they want to have support to be able to challenge negative behaviours.

“This is not banning moaning but saying that people shouldn’t moan and demoralise colleagues if they are not prepared to get involved in making things better and suggest solutions.”