Three Staff Members Considered Suicide at 'Toxic' LIVES Charity: Culture of Bullying and Mental Health Concerns
A medical charity named LIVES in Lincolnshire has been described as a "toxic environment" by some former and current staff members.
Three individuals admitted considering suicide due to the alleged bullying and belittling culture at the charity.
Twenty-six staff and volunteers shared their concerns with the BBC.
LIVES, which sends emergency responders to medical incidents in the county, was founded 50 years ago.
The charity's trustees denied the allegations, stating that the charity is well-managed and run.
Most of the staff wished to remain anonymous.
The text describes the toxic workplace culture at LIVES, a charity based in Horncastle, as reported by 21 former employees.
Nine of them described it as "toxic," and 12 stated that working there negatively impacted their mental health.
One former employee, Andy Bateman, who worked as the finance officer from 2018 to 2020, described it as the most caustic place he had ever worked.
Bateman reported being shouted at and belittled by management and made an official complaint of bullying, which was rejected by the charity.
With a 48-year career in the private and public sector behind him, Bateman expressed shock at the high staff turnover and low morale at LIVES.
The text describes the experiences of an unnamed individual who worked in high-risk businesses but found the environment at LIVES to be particularly challenging.
The person reported numerous investigations and employment disputes, with eleven interviewees claiming they or their colleagues were targeted for whistleblowing about patient safety or management decisions.
Two of these individuals described the organization as the most toxic they had ever worked in, comparing it to their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
LIVES denies these claims.
Twenty-six staff and volunteers shared their concerns with the BBC.
LIVES, which sends emergency responders to medical incidents in the county, was founded 50 years ago.
The charity's trustees denied the allegations, stating that the charity is well-managed and run.
Most of the staff wished to remain anonymous.
The text describes the toxic workplace culture at LIVES, a charity based in Horncastle, as reported by 21 former employees.
Nine of them described it as "toxic," and 12 stated that working there negatively impacted their mental health.
One former employee, Andy Bateman, who worked as the finance officer from 2018 to 2020, described it as the most caustic place he had ever worked.
Bateman reported being shouted at and belittled by management and made an official complaint of bullying, which was rejected by the charity.
With a 48-year career in the private and public sector behind him, Bateman expressed shock at the high staff turnover and low morale at LIVES.
The text describes the experiences of an unnamed individual who worked in high-risk businesses but found the environment at LIVES to be particularly challenging.
The person reported numerous investigations and employment disputes, with eleven interviewees claiming they or their colleagues were targeted for whistleblowing about patient safety or management decisions.
Two of these individuals described the organization as the most toxic they had ever worked in, comparing it to their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
LIVES denies these claims.
