UK nurse awarded £41,000 after colleague’s bullying behavior confirmed

A nurse in the UK has been awarded a £41,000 payout after a tribunal upheld her claim of bullying behavior by a colleague. Susan Hamilton, a diabetes specialist nurse at St Helier Hospital in Sutton, London, accused dietician Abdool Nayeck of exclusion and mistreatment, including the refusal to offer her a cup of tea, a gesture she claimed was regularly extended to other team members.

Ms. Hamilton described a "difficult relationship" with Nayeck, stating that he would often ignore her in meetings and stopped making tea for her, even though he made it for others. After a mediation session with hospital management, the two agreed to communicate politely and civilly, but Ms. Hamilton claimed that the situation did not improve.

She alleged that Nayeck not only continued to exclude her from tea rounds but also stopped making tea for the entire team.

The nurse further cited an incident in 2018 when she and Nayeck clashed over patient care. She claimed that Nayeck became dismissive and, during a formal mediation session, bluntly told her, "I don’t like you."

In late 2019, another document was signed, outlining an agreement for both to be polite, greet each other, and avoid excluding one another from conversations.

Ms. Hamilton was signed off work with stress but returned to her role in January 2021. Upon her return, she lodged a formal complaint regarding how Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust had handled her concerns.

After resigning later that year, she claimed a "breach of contract" and a "total breakdown of trust and confidence."

While the tribunal upheld the grievances against the trust, it dismissed the single abuse allegation against Nayeck. Ms. Hamilton appealed, and the hospital's handling was further criticized.

Employment Judge Kathryn Ramsden stated that the trust had failed to take "adequate action" regarding Nayeck’s behavior.