Bullying, nit-picking, constant criticism, gossiping, favouritism, lying, blame? Read this

Bullying in a private medical practice

Case history #96

I work in a Medical Practice. The Manager is sister in law to the main Partner. In our Admin. Office, we have just 4 full time staff. One of those is the Manager’s partner in bullying. This girl is, a practising alcoholic/abuser of prescribed tranquillisers and bulimic. Her younger sister, also works in the office. Between the two sisters, they dominate the office and assist the Manager in her bullying.

They are permitted to make personal, lengthy calls from front desk. Exceed the limit of sick days, leave early, choose to take all the early finishing shift, demand most of the over time paying double, shift between jobs when bored and spend hours gossiping with the Manager, while us two remaining staff, do all the work.

My other colleague, dances around, trying to avoid trouble and endearing herself to the other 3, with some success. Our work involves liasing with Radiographers. Needless to say my Manager, hates the Manager of Radiographers & makes every attempt to create problems for her. This is done by; not training staff adequately to do the job correctly, allowing the alocholic employee to take over at front desk when bored, leaving behind masses of errors, which obstruct Radiographers work and then, I am blamed.

This alcoholic girl, has been known to; fall asleep at the computer, leave reports for patients unfinished and not delivered, loses patients films, puts the wrong report in the wrong patients results envelope. Someone else is blamed, usually me or the patient. Swearing at the front desk when taken to task by Radiographers is not unusual.

One day, a co worker overloaded with work, left an envelope with a cash payment on the desk. The alcoholic girl took it home, but bought it back next day. Anyone else would have been suspected of intention to steal. Some time later, a cash payment did go missing and a new staff member blamed.

If I complain, I am brushed off, or made uncomfortable i.e. I go to the bathroom to come back & find the alcoholic girl in my seat, refusing to move. I have nowhere to sit until she decides to move back to her job. Nobody talk to me, other than in terse tones. I am given more late shifts or find the Manager gossiping about me with the others.

Recently our Manager was away for the day, leaving the alcoholic girl in charge. I went into work sick & decided at lunch time to go home. The alcoholic girl told me, "you have to find a replacement" Nobody is asked to do that. I went home anyway.

When I returned next day, a friend called by to ask if I had received a gift she had bought in and left with the alcoholic girl. I searched & couldn’t find it. The alcoholic girl told me, I left it by the bin, the cleaner must have thrown it out.

That was the last straw & guess what? She did me a favour. My friend having witnessed this behaviour, offered me a job paying 25% more, a very high salary in this business. Incidentally my new job, is with direct competitors in the same building. Bullies don’t always get the last laugh.

Survivor, Sydney, Australia.

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