Former and current healthcare workers have levelled serious allegations of bullying and harassment against members of management at a NSW hospital.
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As many as 50 former staff have left the Broken Hill Base Hospital as a result of a toxic culture of bullying, the Herald has learnt.
Several former hospital nurses have repeatedly contacted the NSW Ministry of Health and the Far West Local Health District (FWLHD), which oversees healthcare in Broken Hill, to expose what they say is systemic bullying by management.
Veteran nurses claimed they were pushed out as a result of vexatious complaints from members of management in a campaign to get rid of older nurses.
Former Broken Hill Hospital nurse Anne Jones was one of numerous staff members who said they were the victims of a concerted effort by members of management to bully her out of her position.
"I felt like I had a target on my back. I was a wreck. I was yelled at in front of patients and colleagues, I was completely humiliated. And this went on for years," Ms Jones said.
She said she was forced to leave Broken Hill because she no longer felt safe working in the FWLHD.
"I've had to leave my family, and my hometown of 24 years to get away from that toxic place," Ms Jones said.
"I've got friends who are suicidal because of what they went through."
Her comments were echoed by several other former hospital nurses.
A spokesman for the FWLHD rejected the suggestion that the organisation had failed to address a culture of bullying by management.
The organisation launched an independent inquiry in response to a number of broad allegations raised by nursing staff in November, but the spokesman said nurses were unwilling to provide details to support their allegations.
However, documents seen by the Herald detailed specific instances of bullying by management within the Broken Hill health services since 2009. Two former nurses are pursuing unfair dismissal cases.
Several current hospital employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the bullying culture continued unabated, but they feared their jobs would be at risk if they spoke out.
In a letter obtained by the Herald, the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association was alerted to allegations of intimidation, coercion, falsifying official documents, breaching confidentiality, creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust, and falsifying official documents by hospital management in January.
"A number of complaints have been brought to our attention … concerning bullying and harassment by management at Broken Hills Hospital," Danny O'Connor, president of Broken Hill's local labour union, the Barrier Industrial Council, wrote after meeting local nurses in January.
"We have also been made aware of over 50 nursing staff who have resigned over the past two years," Mr O'Connor wrote.
Ms Jones was one of at least five nurses who wrote to officials at the NSW Ministry of Health between 2010 and 2012 to expose what they called a deeply ingrained culture of nepotism, bullying and mismanagement at Broken Hill Health Service.
"By writing this letter I am conscious that this is going to be difficult to return to my former role [at the hospital] , however I am personally and professionally obliged to take this matter to a point where it is resolved, and true changes made to protect the safety and rights of workers and patients alike," Ms Jones wrote.
NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner declined to comment and directed questions to the FWLHD.
The FWLHD is expected to release a statement outlining the recommendations and response to the inquiry findings on Thursday.
