UNDER RE-EDITING     updated: 5 October 2021
"do a little with certainty & leave the rest to others ..[rather] than explain all things by conjecture." Isaac Newton
"..everybody has been wrong so often it has taken.. a weary while to find out [the] authority is proved.. fallible." Charles Dickens

The Report (see page title) is published as, 'Evil Psychologist in a Culture of Denial.' Evidence & new conclusions will be published by early 2022. The Report, in book form, is sold at minimum cost as a service to NHS HR personnel. The Report provides valuable insights into triggers, onset & continuity of NHS bully cultures and how miscreant seniors avoid investigation.  Richards' self-help guide for victims & helpers, 'Beating the Bully: Recognising, Reporting, Empowering,' was commissioned by Straightforward Publishing.
 
Summary
Staff names are quoted in the Report. All were asked to come forward by whistleblower Marianne Richards, a request repeated online, via the University of Bath and social media. This request will shortly be repeated, in respect of the upcoming review by the new Stand-Up Guardian, overseen by NHS Improvement. 

Three other whistle-blowers# came forward, in 2005, 2006 and 2018, with evidence of bullying by the departmental Manager, before and after Richards' employ. These# included AWP's solicitor, whose advice was ignored, and 2 disabled staff. Richards continued to demand a full investigation but was stone walled and blocked by AWP legal team. In letters to an MP, AWP repeated false claims by a rogue HR Manager. In 2019, after many harrowing experiences and losses, leading to a suicide attempt, Richards was granted permission to write a Report for the SPT, with the story arc, suggested improvements and 117 evidence documents. In 2017 a  Judge praised Richards' courage and fortitude, after AWP legal team blocked Richards reaching Tribunal through dubious legal tactics. It is doubtful evidence was seen by the Board, basing their hostile responses on hearsay. In 2018 the final whistle-blower to come forward about the Manager was likewise ignored, expressing feelings of helplessness. Vital documents remain missing but Richards has garnered sufficient evidence she hopes will lead to apology, fair compensation & closure as well as making evidence-based suggestions for improving internal procedures and the way Tribunals deal with victims of workplace bullying. Richards has  several campaign successes but remains in ill health because of AWP's failure to cooperate, leading to life-changing losses that cannot be recovered in full.

Why is it vital that AWP resolve this long-standing issue over whistle blowing?
1. brushing bully cultures under the carpet means such situations repeat - as they have done with AWP. It is only sincde 2019 that CQC have reported an, 'improvement' in AWP Governance, which is shocking. AWP, as one of the largest English Mental Health Trusts, should set an example.

2. miscreant seniors, some being Board members, committed breaches of law, as well as ignoring AWP values & 'duty of care'. For example, several seniors, two paid as 'HR Expert' have:

• refused to investigate staff complaints; indulging in hearsay from a rogue manager
• manipulated/hidden evidence (to sway representatives in the Tribunal system -a criminal act)
• indulged in defamatory emails about a whistle-blower, to colleagues & outside the Trust
• manipulated Dignity at Work investigations & the Trust's internal complaints systems

• ignored evidence, from AWP solicitor, of a bully culture at Victoria Hospital, Swindon ['Lift Psychology']
• failed to pass evidence to the Chief Executive, his successors, an MP and NHS complaints bodies
• mislead the Board, knowingly allowing falsified evidence to reach successive Chief Executives
• ditto; mislead NHS professional investigatory bodies
• failed to be questioned over gross professional misconduct, despite extensive evidence
• successive AWP Chief Executives failing their duty to investigate - relying on hearsay from close colleagues
• Oxford Health CE refusing to investigate a senior, proven to have hidden or destroyed a vital document that should have remained in the files of AWP HR, to the serious detriment of a whistle blower

Story Arc
The author, former Counsellor (now anti-bullying-at-work campaigner), Marianne Richards MSc., has spent nearly two decades gathering evidence & analysing a bully culture at Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health  Partnership Trust, during the set-up of Lift Psychology, Swindon from 2004. 

Bully & Denial Culture
Richards approached HR after being emotionally bullied by her Manager. She believed this triggered by stress and was unwilling to make formal complaint. However, when the HR Manager refused to act, Richards went to the Head of Psychology, anxious at lack of support and rising hostility from the Practice Manager#. This seriously impacted Richards' work with mentally ill patients. She later learned two Counsellors walked out but under-Managers dismissed this, claiming, 'no one takes any notice of her#'.

The department of Psychology at Victoria Hospital  was chaotic; gripes about pay & conditions and suspicion of staff entering  under the training scheme of 'Agenda for Change' 2004. Less confident Assistants were fearful their Degrees would be undermined, new Mental Health Workers being on the same pay scales and referred to by the same title. This fear was dismissed by the Training Manager, who like fellow managers appeared in denial. 

Revenge Attacks
When the Manager heard of Richards'complaint, she subjected Richards to false, increasingly bizarre and defamatory allegations. This included that Richards indulged in regular emotional outbursts to staff of 'being abused by her father' (implying sexual abuse). Also, that Richards was regularly, 'borrowing money off staff', 'making false expense claims' and 'refusing training and supervision.' As Richards proved each untrue, this Manager escalated, making a false 'performance management' she claimed had been 'going on two years' despite a testimonial she had provided with Richards, which totally contradicted all the allegations.

Biased 'Dignity at Wor'k Investigation
A Dignity at Work investigation was set up, to investigate Richards' complaint. This was undertaken by senior colleagues of the bully Manager. When announced,  less than six weeks after a much over-egged testimonial for Richards (guilt?), the Manager counter-claimed via a bully support, that Richards, 'threatened to go around her house@,' 'threatened staff with physical violence,' and 'bullied everyone at AWP'. Richards' mentor repeated the first allegation@ in writing, claiming she was informed of this by the Manager. The 'investigator' did not request evidence, nor query why both Managers had refused mediation, not met with Richards or suspended her from working with patients. The Mentor admitted 'tuning out,' ignoring Richards at University, claiming Richards 'bullied us' and how her poor scholarship at University was Richards' fault. Richards marks unexpectedly began to reduce and she was signed off with work-place stress then clinical depression; these facts were ignored despite AWP HR having the sick notes.  Of all the full time staff only 2 were 'interviewed', despite the Dignity Report contents listing all permanent staff, 'as if' they had taken part. Of the two, both were direct reports & confidantes of the Manager. Their statements were contradictory, beggaring belief and comprising malicious gossip most of which originated with the Manager. No one except the 'investigators' could have read these documents., relying on the 'professionalism; [sic] of their colleagues. 

Fast Forward to 2021: Sir Robert Francis directs AWP's New Stand-Up Guardian to Investigate
Shortly, the new Stand-Up Guardian is to mediate with AWP Board, whose CE's have long been mislead. The outcome will be passed to Sir Robert (of NHS Improvement and Whistleblower Law).

Failures in Internal and Tribunal Systems
Unless overseen, toxic Trusts increasingly commission bully-boy legal firms like Bevan Brittan, preventing victims of workplace bullying reaching Tribunal. This prevents fair settlement & closure, which the Government intended to be settled by a new department called NHS Resolution. Internal NHS Trust systems and Tribunals fail victims. Yet, this could be turned around, beginning with simple measures. In her report, Richards explains how; offering her traumatic experiences by way of example.

Will CE Dominic Hardisty Offer Closure to AWP's Historic Whistle-blowers?
It is to be hoped AWP, now described as, 'improving' by CQC, will play their part, opening long-closed ears. Dominic Hardisty vowed online to [quote], “Creat[e] an inclusive, fair working environment .. putting equality, inclusion and diversity at the heart of everything we do ..treat[ing] each other, our patients, carers and families with equality, dignity and respect.”

Will AWP at last Uphold their Stated Values? For nearly two decades, Hardisty and his predecessors ignored whistle-blowers, relying on unreliable staff, instead of investigating impartially from the ground up. At best, you might say they were long misinformed. Bully culture blighted AWP for years, marked by poor leadership, suppression, hearsay, cover-ups and nepotism. It is only in the last TWO years CQC/ HPC report 'positive change'. This is due to a better equipped system of Stand-Up Guardians plus Champions; improving on a derisory half day a week of the first, solitary, Guardian & allowing more staff to speak out without fear. 


About Marianne Richards MSc. - author website Marianne Richards Amazon.co.uk
​Marianne was first professionally published in 2000, receiving praise for layman's guides to mental health. Marianne was a Counsellor & Mental Health Rehab. Officer for over two decades, in private practice & the NHS. In 2006, she left the NHS after being hounded out of her career AWP and (on the back of the same false evidence) an admin post at CAMHS. Marianne was diagnosed with AS (autism spectrum), during treatment for stress and a breakdown, triggered by the bullying and stress, After nearly two decades of harrowing losses triggered by vindictive staff, she became an anti-bullying-at-work campaigner, gaining praise from high-level NHS & Tribunal investigatory bodies, She is now semi retired, a full time author (fiction and non fiction) and at the peak of her campaign. 
Beside writing & campaigning, Marianne enjoys research, gardening, cooking and taking on new skills, currently practical ecology .

Her qualifications include:

• Masters Degree (MSc. Mental Health Practice)
• Diploma in Ericksonian (Brief) Psychotherapy
• Certificate in Behavioural Family Therapy
• four year training in Psycho-Dynamic Counselling
• City & Guilds Print & Radio Journalism
• FAETC [Fento 1]- Adult Education Tutor
• ECDL - European Computer Driving License 
• Advanced Internet Training
• English Literature 'A' grade A level