Government whistleblowers fear being bullied if they report concerns to their bosses - and feel they’ve no choice but to go directly to the media.

The Manx Labour Party said this was a ’matter of great regret’. Its chairman David Cretney MLC spoke out after an independent report was published into the island’s acute mental health in-patient facility Manannan Court.

The external review was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care after whistleblowing staff contacted the Examiner back in January to claim the unit was at ’breaking point’.

They claimed self-harm was ’rife’, the unit was so overcrowded that the beds had to be ’hot-swapped’ and the elderly ward next door used as an overspill.

There was also claims of low morale, staff shortages and reports of drugs being brought in. Other whistleblowers subsequently came forward to support the claims - with one even in tears as they outlined their concerns to us.

Mr Cretney said: ’It is a matter of great regret that the apparent culture in the department and indeed in some other government departments necessitated staff reporting their concerns directly to the media rather than using in house "whistleblowing" or dialogue with management.

’We heard reports that some staff in various areas of government felt that using direct contact with mid or higher management could result in intimidation or bullying.’

It’s not the first time that managers at the Department of Health and Social Care have been accused of bullying and failing to protect whistleblowers.

Similar concerns were raised at an employment tribunal pre-hearing review in July, and by Douglas East MHK Clare Barber, a registered nurse, during a Tynwald debate on major reform of the Manx NHS.

Manannan Court, the £7.2m acute mental health unit located on the Noble’s Hospital site, opened only in 2017, replacing the out-of-date in-patient facilities at Grianagh Court.

In his report, Dr Tommy Dickinson, independent psychiatric-mental health nurse consultant, found many aspects have improved since the move from Grianagh Court.

’The environment appears much more fit for purpose and the safety of patients is clearly seen as a priority,’ he noted.

But Dr Dickinson also found that patients’ care plans on the ward need ’urgent improvement’ and the templates used are ’not fit for purpose’.

His report cites a Mental Health Commission visit that found the unit ’chronically over-occupied’, with a high proportion of patients on an enhanced level of observation.

The unannounced visit in March found there were 22 in-patients of working age registered as being admitted to Harbour Unit, a 14 bedded unit.

Of these, 14 were on the ward, two in the flexible beds, one was sleeping on the old age ward (Glen Ward), four were on leave (with their beds in use by other patients) and one detained patient was receiving medical care in Noble’s.

An announced visit the following month found the situation had improved somewhat although the Harbour Unit was still very busy with 25 in-patients.

Self-harm incidents were high, although only three out of the 80 incidents resulted in actual albeit low level harm.

In his report, Dr Dickinson said given the high proportion on enhanced observation, staffing levels were potentially problematic.

Claims of low staff morale, as reported by the Mental Health Commission and by whistleblowers, were ’difficult to quantify’, he said.

It was noted that on some occasions, drugs have been brought onto the ward by patients and/or their visitors and this may have been facilitated by the patients’ use of mobile phones.

Dr Dickinson also noted that some staff have been on the same ward for many years, which has been shown to have a detrimental effect.

He said: ’If such individuals become embittered or "burnt out", their indifference to those in their care can be "infectious". This could be negatively influencing individuals’ attitudes towards people with a personality disorder.’

Asked if the report’s findings vindicated the whistleblowers, Health Minister David Ashford MHK said the concerns had been taken seriously and it was important to have an independent review carried out.

He said the department had accepted all of its 17 recommendations in full.

The Minister accepted there were some things that were ’particularly concerning’ such as the need to make more robust care plans that are currently not fit for purpose.

But he pointed out that Dr Dickinson did not share the same level of concerns around staffing which was described as ’adequate’ except in relation to enhanced observation where an additional member of staff may need to be sourced.

Mr Ashford said it was a concern that staff felt that they were not able to raise concerns with senior managers and that whistleblowing should be a ’last resort not a first resort’.