STAFF at the famous Whittington Hospital were "left broken wrecks" by bullies, a sobering investigation has revealed.

The six-month probe exposed a culture of bullying in the respected North London trust, with "terrified" hospital staff too scared to open emails from bosses who "scream and shout" their way.

One in every four respondents said they had reported bullying or harassment, while more than a third had observed such behaviour.

One worker was told: "If I say jump, you jump", while another said they were "made to feel an utter fool" in front of their boss and felt "sick to my stomach".

The grim findings reveal a "catalogue of grievances" that were "poorly managed", with "countless examples of very inappropriate behaviour by senior staff, including senior medical staff, which must not have existed in isolation".

The study commissioned by the NHS trust in Highgate showed staff were fearful of opening emails, going to meetings and having one-to-one exchanges with managers.

The Camden New Journal reports the levels of bullying are common among surveys of staff at NHS hospitals, such as the Royal Free and University College of London.

A report quoted in the CNJ by the British Medical Association revealed how gaps in doctor rotas meant staff were "coming under considerable emotional and physical strain" because of "unmanageable workloads".

Professor Duncan Lewis, of Plymouth University, was commissioned to produce the study into bullying and harassment by new chief executive Siobhan Harrington.

The report describes the “pugnacious” attitudes of managers and “unresponsive leadership” that could nurture a culture of bullying.

Some physical attacks were reported, including one staff member being “slapped across the face by another staff member”.

It notes that the Whittington was “traditionally seen as a friendly workplace” with a “family-friendly feel, but this was changing…”

Surgery and cancer care departments were found to be hot-spots for “unreasonable management behaviours” followed by women’s health services, the CNJ reports.

Working environments were said to be “tense”, with “management team meetings involving shouting and aggression”.

The study listed a number of recommendations, including a "more robust and purposeful leadership style to support colleagues and tackle issues", and addressing grievance issues "more speedily and with greater purpose".

The Whittington said it would respond by “developing new standards” and by clarifying manager roles, implementing a new “resolution process” and “setting out a new email etiquette”.

Its statement said: “We commissioned this independent review to investigate our concerns that previous actions had not had sufficient impact on staff reporting bullying and harassment.

While the review shows that this is not endemic in our organisation, it has helped to identify how we can work together to make changes for the future.”

It added: “We will make improvements to our culture and systems so that these experiences of bullying and harassment are a thing of the past. Action is already underway and we will develop direct responses to the recommendations, engaging staff in considering the report and creating cultural change over the coming months.”