CLAIMS of “systematic bullying” at NHS Tayside and the stress-related suicide of a trainee doctor prompted the resignation of the health board’s whistleblowing champion, MSPs have heard.

Munwar Hussain was one of three non-executive directors of the troubled health board who quit in the wake of what was branded a “crisis of public confidence” there.

Anas Sarwar said Hussain had been frustrated that concerns raised were “not being acted upon by managers”. The Labour health spokesperson said Hussain had been contacted by a former trainee doctor who said they left the NHS “due to issues of systematic bullying and negative cliques”.

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Sarwar continued: “There were claims that people were raising issues but these were not being acted upon by managers, including allegations in the email that a previous trainee took their own life and the stress was unbearable for some.

“A serious set of allegations including that a trainee took their own life due to stress.

“He goes on to say that he asked for this to be raised at a board meeting but was told that he could not.”

Sarwar said Hussain “eventually” raised concerns at a staff governance committee meeting, but felt that “this is viewed as an ongoing issue which is tolerated”.

It emerged at the weekend that Hussain had decided to resign from NHS Tayside along with colleagues Stephen Hay and Doug Cross, but he did not make public the reason for his decision.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said she was aware “other board members are considering their future plans”.

However, she stressed she had “immediately followed up” the issues Hussain raised with her.

These include concerns about doctors in training as well as senior management pay, the use of public funds, and child and adolescent mental health services matters.

Sarwar said he had seen the letter sent to the Health Secretary by Hussain, adding: “There is a crisis of public confidence with NHS Tayside following a series of issues, including financial mismanagement leading to brokerage loans, raiding of the charity endowment fund, a chief executive and chair forced to resign.”

Freeman conceded there are “undoubtedly challenges for NHS Tayside”, adding she “would not underestimate those in any respect”.

She insisted the “appropriate place” for Hussain to have raised his concerns was at the staff governance committee meeting “and not in the wider public board meeting”.

And the Health Secretary said the board at NHS Tayside – which gained a new chief executive and chairman in April – were “responding appropriately” to the whistleblowing issues that have been raised.

Freeman pledged: “I will continue to monitor how the board deals with those and what the end result will be.”

LibDem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton later pressed the Cabinet member on the “revelations” from Sarwar, asking: “On something this serious, on a failure of whistle-blowing systems this serious, can we really expect the board to mark its own homework on this?”

He argued it was “in our national interest” for the Health Secretary to “instruct a full, independent public inquiry” into whistle-blowing in NHS Tayside.

But Freeman told him: “I do not believe that is necessary”, adding: “We have a set of very serious claims by a member of NHS Tayside’s board which was communicated to me via email on September 3. That member then indicated his intention to resign following his period of ill health absence on September 11.

“The board has acted on these concerns. I have seen the actions they have taken prior to Mr Hussain being in touch with me and I have made a commitment I will keep a very close eye on how the matters progress.”