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Anti-bullying hotline set up for Holyrood staff

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Published Date: 24 October 2006
A CONFIDENTIAL 24-hour hotline is to be set up for stressed out Scottish Parliament workers being bullied and harassed by bosses.
The new service aims to cut sickness levels and will provide advice on debt, benefit entitlement, marital problems and depression. Counselling firm Care First will be paid an annual fee of £14,000 for the next three years to provide the service which is set to be launched next month.

In 2004, a special anti-bullying squad was appointed after an internal audit revealed one in eight members of staff claimed to have suffered from harassment.

The service, which will be available to more than 1000 staff, has been criticised by spending watchdog the Taxpayers Alliance which said it was unfair to offer services that were not available to staff in other industries.

Spokesman Blair Gibbs said: "Anyone can try to justify extra spending on grounds of welfare but why should taxpayers have to pick up the bill for counselling services that aren't available to ordinary people?"



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1

Wingman,

Edinburgh 24/10/2006 11:56:49

The money munching continues unabated, Our childrens future must be bleak when this lot eventually spend the lot...

2

CPHibee - the second coming,

24/10/2006 12:01:20

The Scottish Executive should have an Occupational Health Authority designated to deal with such problems. I am therefore a bit puzzled as to why an EXTRA hotline has been set up for bullying - as this would surely come under the OH umbrella? Bit of a joke really. Have they been taking lessons from Tynecastle????

3

Mr Crisps,

Haddington 24/10/2006 12:12:58

Happy staff are productive staff - an investment of £14 per member of staff per year does not seem excessive? Better than paying someone to be off sick with stress, avoidance is always better than cure.

Nothing like trivialising the matter by bringing football into it CPH.

4

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

Newington 24/10/2006 12:45:02

Here's a radical idea: rather than fund a helpline for the victims, why not identify the bullies and kick them out of the building?

5

Voice of reason,

24/10/2006 12:46:32

Goodness me , a bad Socialist employer !!!

6

mr chips,

24/10/2006 13:19:34

Bullying at holyrood,whats all the fuss, new labour control the whole country on bullying and nannying.

7

Eve,

Scotland 24/10/2006 15:50:15

Whoes bullying who?

Maybe all bulyes should be outed?

And we can see is these people are really bullies or just people who sisagree with one another.

bullying in Holyrood, thats the one place you would hope there wouldbe no Bulying.

8

mr chips,

24/10/2006 22:41:58

WHAT ABOOT MCONNELL AND HIS PATHETIC EXECUTIVE ALONG SIDE THE SNP, BULLYING PEOPLE WHO LIKE A CIG AND A DRINK,ADULTS DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE OF MICKEY MOUSE SCOTTISH GOMT BULLYING. SOD THEM ALL.


 

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