Bullying and Harassment at Work in the NHS: What to Do

If you are reading this because someone at work is making your days unbearable, you may be second-guessing yourself ("Am I overreacting?"). The Handbook definition is clear that it is for the person on the receiving end to define what is inappropriate or demeaning behaviour. This guide explains how to raise it, what employers are expected to do, and how to keep a record that will stand up if the matter is ever examined.

What counts as bullying and harassment

Section 32 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook defines:

• Bullying as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power which may undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient, including cyber-bullying and actions outside the workplace that are linked to the employment.
• Harassment as unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of staff in the workplace that may be related to a personal characteristic such as age, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, ethnicity, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, political opinion or trade union membership, and may be persistent or an isolated incident.
• Victimisation as treating someone badly because they have taken action, or supported someone else to take action, under a policy covered by that section.

In law, GOV.UK says bullying itself is not against the law, but harassment is where the unwanted behaviour is related to a protected characteristic. That distinction matters for tribunal claims, but not for your trust's internal policy, which applies to both. Examples of what people commonly report include persistent undermining or humiliation, shouting, exclusion from teams or information, unreasonable workloads or deadlines that seem designed to set you up to fail, offensive comments or "banter", unwanted physical contact and online abuse. The test is the effect on you and whether the behaviour is unwanted, not whether the other person says they were joking.

First steps

1. Make yourself safe. If you are in immediate danger or the behaviour is physical or sexual, tell a senior manager or security straight away, and consider the police for any criminal conduct.
2. Start the diary today (below). Small, dated, factual entries are more useful than a large account written months later.
3. Tell someone. A union representative, HR, a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, a trusted senior colleague or a staff network. See NHS staff representation for who can formally represent you.
4. Decide informal or formal. The Handbook says procedures should allow you to deal with a complaint informally, by asking the person directly (or with a colleague's help) to stop. GOV.UK suggests trying informal resolution first, then speaking to a manager, HR or a union rep, then the formal grievance procedure. You can go formal straight away if it feels unsafe or unlikely to work.
5. Read your trust's dignity at work (or bullying and harassment) policy. Trusts have to produce one with their staff representatives (Handbook 32.3). It will name the stages, who to contact and how complaints are handled.

Evidence diary: a printable template

A dated, factual diary is the single most useful thing you can create. Copy the table into a document or spreadsheet, or print this page and fill it in by hand. Keep it somewhere private and outside work systems. Write facts, not conclusions: what was said and done, rather than what you think the person meant.

The example row shows the layout and is not a real case. Use the header row for your own entries. On a phone, scroll the table sideways, or copy it into your notes app.

What to keep alongside the diary

• • Messages, emails and rota changes sent to you (screenshot with date and sender visible).
• • Rotas, shift swaps or workload allocations if the concern is about being set up to fail or treated differently.
• • Appraisals, feedback and any praise that predates the behaviour, to show a change.
• • Dates of sickness absence, GP or occupational health appointments if your health has been affected.
• • Names of witnesses, and what each could say (do not coach them).
• • A list of who you told, when and what was said.
• • A short timeline (one page) you can hand to your union rep or HR.

Raising it formally

The ACAS Code of Practice says a formal grievance should be raised without unreasonable delay with a manager who is not the subject of the grievance, in writing, setting out the nature of the complaint. NHS trusts usually have a dedicated dignity at work or bullying and harassment procedure, which the Handbook says should be seen as separate from the grievance procedure. Either way, a clear written complaint helps.

The NHS grievance procedure guide explains the formal process in more detail, including the right to be accompanied by a union representative or work colleague at a formal hearing.

What your employer should do

Paragraphs 32.3 to 32.12 of the Handbook set out the expectations (the Handbook also lists a separate NHS Scotland partnership policy on preventing and dealing with bullying and harassment, so check which applies to you). In summary, the procedure for complaints against staff members should:

• ✓ Recognise the difficulties complainants face, and be separate from the grievance procedure.
• ✓ Advise that you may deal with it informally by directly (or with a colleague's help) asking for the behaviour to stop.
• ✓ Take all complaints seriously and investigate promptly and thoroughly.
• ✓ Give rights of representation similar to the grievance procedure, with access to trained advisers.
• ✓ Have specific provision for cases where the alleged harasser manages, or is managed by, the complainant.
• ✓ Tell the alleged harasser of the complaint in writing.
• ✓ Use a trained investigator working outside their normal area of responsibility, who reports to the responsible line manager.
• ✓ Maintain confidentiality as far as is compatible with a thorough investigation, and keep complainants and witnesses free from victimisation.
• ✓ Provide a right of appeal.
• ✓ Allow appropriate action where allegations are vexatious, and monitor all complaints and outcomes.

This is what the national terms say employers should do. How your trust applies them is set in its own policy, so compare the two, and mention any gaps in writing.

If it is not dealt with

• Chase and escalate in writing. Ask what has been done, when you will have an outcome and who is responsible.
• Raise delay, or detriment since you complained, as its own point. The Handbook says no one should suffer victimisation for making a complaint under the policy.
• Use another route. A Freedom to Speak Up Guardian sits outside the line-management chain. Our guide to NHS whistleblowing rights explains the legal protection where a concern is a protected disclosure.
• Talk to ACAS. Their helpline is 0300 123 1100, and they can explain early conciliation.
• Mind the time limit. For most tribunal claims arising on or after 1 October 2026 it is 6 months minus 1 day, and for discrimination it runs from the most recent act you are including in your claim. Raising an internal complaint does not pause it. Notify ACAS within the limit; the clock then pauses during early conciliation. See the Employment Rights Act 2025 guide.
• Think carefully before resigning. Leaving can end your options and may affect any claim. ACAS advises getting legal advice before resigning. See unfair vs constructive dismissal.

From 30 October 2026, new duties come into force on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and to prevent third-party harassment (by patients and visitors) on the GOV.UK timeline. They add to, and do not replace, the dignity at work policy your trust already has.

Your wellbeing

Bullying and harassment affect sleep, concentration and confidence, and it is common to feel isolated. See your GP if you are struggling. Your trust's occupational health and employee assistance services are open to you (see occupational health referrals), and if the stress is affecting your work, our guide to work-related stress explains what employers are expected to do. Doctors and dentists can contact NHS Practitioner Health. If you are suspended, or find yourself the subject of a counter-allegation after complaining, see NHS suspension explained and the disciplinary process guide.

Related guides

This page is general information about bullying and harassment at work, drawn from the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook, the ACAS Code of Practice and GOV.UK guidance, correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. It is not legal, HR or employment advice and does not replace your trust's own policy, your union's advice or specific legal advice. FrontlinePay is an independent site and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, ACAS, GOV.UK, any NHS trust, NHS England or any trade union.