SOUTHEND Hospital is investigating claims of a bullying culture by staff in one of its departments.

A ten-month probe into bullying in the hospital’s sterile services department, which cleans and disinfects surgical equipment, will report back next month, the Echo can reveal.

Staff claimed senior staff shout and swear at colleagues, antisocial shifts were being allocated unfairly and there is a culture of fear.

One technician, who asked not to be named, said: “Sometimes you walk in and you can just feel the tension in the room.

“No-one likes going to work.

"Some people go home crying on their first day. Some don’t even make it through their first shift.”

Another former staff member, who also asked not to be named, said: “It’s tense. You never know what to say or do. Even in your tea breaks you get told off for talking.

“A lot of people go off sick for as long as possible.”

The whistleblowers claim many of the departments’ 25 to 30 staff have complained and managers are aware of the problem.

The trust only has records of two official complaints, one last year and one in 2012, but it has admitted other grievances may have been dealt with informally.

Staff turnover in the department is 16 per cent, compared to 12.3 per cent across the whole hospital.

The trust investigated allegations of bullying in the department detailed in an anonymous letter submitted last November.

More than 20 staff have been interviewed since.

Mary Foulkes, director of organisational development and human resources for the trust, said: “Southend Hospital has clear policies and guidance on the behaviours expected of its staff and takes allegations of bullying very seriously.

“An anonymous grievance was raised relating to allegations of bullying in the sterile services department and an internal investigation was launched in response to this in line with trust’s raising concerns policy.

“Interviews were undertaken with 23 staff members as part of the investigation which included many positive comments about the management culture of the department as well as concerns about the behaviour of fellow colleagues.”

Ms Foulkes said the report is being reviewed.

She added: “A post-investigation feedback meeting has been scheduled for early September and all staff from the department have been invited to attend.

“With any investigation, where appropriate and if allegations are upheld we will take action against employees who exhibit behaviour that breaches any of the trust’s policies.”