Bullying in the nursing and midwifery profession has increased in recent years and Government cutbacks are a ‘probable explanation' for this rise, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has claimed.

It has published the results of a large-scale survey on this topic, which provides an update to a similar survey carried out by the University of limerick in 2010.

These latest findings shows that between 2010 and 2014, there was a 13% increase in incidences of perceived bullying. Overall, nearly 6% of nurses and midwives said that they were being bullied on an almost daily basis.

Nurses who were not members of a union were much more likely to be bullied on a daily basis compared to union members.

The INMO believes that Government cutbacks are key. It said that these cutbacks are a ‘probable explanation for the significant rise in reported bullying between 2010 and 2014'.

According to the head of the study, Prof Maura Sheehan of NUI Galway, the finding that almost 6% of nurses are bullied on an almost daily basis is ‘very disturbing'.

"The personal consequences in terms of health, wellbeing and family relationships of people who experience workplace bullying are extremely serious. Almost all organisations have a formal anti-bullying policy in place. Clearly there is a significant gap between the presence and implementation of such policies," she commented.

She said there now need to be a ‘fundamental culture change in hospitals and care facilities', with a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of bullying.

"This must apply to all employees, no matter how senior, specialised and experienced," Prof Sheehan noted.

Also commenting on the results, the INMO's director of industrial relations, Phil Ni Sheaghdha, said that unfortunately, these results are ‘not a surprise'.

"The survey confirms some of the information our members have been reporting to us. They believe the problem has been accelerated due to the effects the cutbacks in healthcare have had in the workplace, particularly as the activity levels have increased, hospitals are constantly overcrowded and staffing levels have reduced.

"Employers need to be proactive now and become aware of trends and intervene early to ensure policies are fit for purpose and managers are trained to intervene early and appropriately," she said.