If a doctor is clinically good, is it true they can get away with bullying?

Know someone who is on an ST3 scheme and is clinically really good, knows his stuff and extensive research background. Very charismatic character but a bit of a hot head.

He has a short temper and has cussed out nurses and allied health workers on a weekly basis, calling them useless or incompetent whenever they do something he doesn’t agree with. He frequently drops F bombs in the wards and gets frustrated very easily.

He is also one of the best regs in the hospital and is confident at treating his patients.

I was just wondering if there is a greater leeway afforded to doctors who are actually clinically good for poor social behaviour? The NHS is short staffed so I can understand it.

Reply 1

Democracy

20

Original post by Anonymous

I was just wondering if there is a greater leeway afforded to doctors who are actually clinically good for poor social behaviour? The NHS is short staffed so I can understand it.

I'm not really sure what answer you're looking for here. Bullying and overt aggression exists in medicine. It's rare, but yes, people like this exist just like they do in every workplace and profession. You cannot be a "good doctor" and also treat everyone like crap, this isn't House.

I also don't want to be all "#bekind" but there is pretty good evidence out there that aggression in the workplace can worsen clinical outcomes, which makes it rather contradictory to say that someone can act this way but also be "clinically really good".

The fact that - as far as you know - this guy has not encountered any problems in his career as a result of his poor behaviour does not mean it is tacitly condoned. People like this often run into trouble sooner or later. Or sometimes they don't and that's how malignant departments are born.

I feel like I've just recited the obvious. Does that answer the question?

I now await the multitudes who will use this idiot as an example for why doctors are all the worst and we need a good dressing-down, preferably via some online training modules and written reflections.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

Zarek

21

I think recognition for competence is one of the things that can help you get away with bullying. Throw in position and power that competence might lead to and it’s truly amazing what might be tolerated. Hopefully the climate is getting harder for outrageous behaviour to go unchecked

Reply 3

Anonymous #2

Perhaps I am misunderstanding, but does this sort of chat not happen all the time from all sides? Doctors ranting about nurses, nurses ranting about doctors, AHPs ranting about doctors, juniors ranting about seniors…. Unless this person is being horrible to people’s faces and making them cry or something, I would have just put this down to part of working in the NHS :redface:

Reply 4

Reality Check

22

Original post by Anonymous

Know someone who is on an ST3 scheme and is clinically really good, knows his stuff and extensive research background. Very charismatic character but a bit of a hot head.

He has a short temper and has cussed out nurses and allied health workers on a weekly basis, calling them useless or incompetent whenever they do something he doesn’t agree with. He frequently drops F bombs in the wards and gets frustrated very easily.

He is also one of the best regs in the hospital and is confident at treating his patients.

I was just wondering if there is a greater leeway afforded to doctors who are actually clinically good for poor social behaviour? The NHS is short staffed so I can understand it.

Asking for a friend?

Reply 5

No_fixed_abode

10

Also, not wanting to do the whole "be kind" thing but keeping a calm head and getting on with your colleagues are part of being clinically 'good' in my book.

Reply 6

moonkatt

19

I’d be surprised if his boss isn’t drowning under a pile of datixes if he’s openly aggressive towards nurses and AHPs tbh.

I bet his MSFs make for interesting reading.

Reply 7

Anonymous #3

Original post by moonkatt

I’d be surprised if his boss isn’t drowning under a pile of datixes if he’s openly aggressive towards nurses and AHPs tbh.

I bet his MSFs make for interesting reading.

I had an FY colleague once who was really struggling - literally used to disappear when on-call for hours at a time, invent things in the notes, took an hour to take bloods from patients because they inexplicably felt they had to read through all the paper notes first... lots of major issues. Apparently had a shining MSF and CBDs/CEXs all done without issue. The lesson I took from that was that if you ask enough people who don't know you very well to fill these things out, you can make your way through!

If a doctor is clinically good, is it true they can get away with bullying?

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