Bullying in trauma and orthopaedics: a survey of staff in orthopaedic departments in the UK

Abstract

Background/aims An orthopaedic department requires good teamwork and communication to function. This is undermined by bullying and harassment, which may affect the victim's health and career. Methods A 26-item questionnaire was sent to all delegates who registered for a free orthopaedic webinar teaching series via email and social media. This study includes the responses from all those who had worked in a UK orthopaedic department. Results There were 168 respondents from varying backgrounds; 17.9% had experienced bullying or harassment in their orthopaedic department, while 36.3% had witnessed it. Women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds suffered 10.2% and 6.9% higher rates of bullying than their male or white counterparts respectively. Conclusions The results demonstrate that despite attempts to reduce bullying in orthopaedics, it remains prevalent, and particularly affects women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Orthopaedic departments must adapt to reflect changes in society.