Today’s report from Sir Robert Francis on the need for extra support for whistleblowers in the NHS has found that the percentage of NHS staff who experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from managers and other staff members rose to just under a quarter, 22 per cent, in 2013 and 2012 – up from 14 per cent in 2010 and 2011.

The figures, from the annual NHS Staff survey, reveal the increase of more than 50 per cent.

The author also dismisses political attempts to portray the report’s findings as historic too, reporting of the cases brought to him by whistleblowers as evidence for the review:

“Many were relatively recent or current.  This is not about a small number of historic high profile cases from a time when organisations might argue the culture was different.  We had a significant number of contributions about cases in 2014.”

Jamie Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, said:

“Today, Ministers will have to answer for this alarming rise. This Government has presided over a growing culture of fear and bullying. It goes against everything they have tried to claim – the Government cannot expect staff to speak out when bullying is on the increase.

“Any NHS worker must be able to raise concerns, feel confident they will be listened to and that action will be taken. Crucially, they must know that they will not be mistreated as a result.

“The problems we have seen develop over the last few years are this Government’s fault, yet we have had no apology for the damage Ministers have done. The sad truth is that by turning the NHS upside down with a damaging reorganisation and causing a crisis in A&E, David Cameron has made care problems more likely, not less.”