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A La Trobe University study investigating the rate or effect of bullying in smaller allied health professions found bullying and incivility are common and pose challenges for orthoptic students during placements.

Writing in the British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, the researchers found almost all participants (95%) reported experiencing at least one negative act while on placement, with 10 (50%) indicating they experienced bullying.

Worryingly, almost all students (90%) did not report the behaviour when it happened, with most students also being unaware of bullying and harassment policies of the university or health facility, authors noted. “Clinical placements in allied health are crucial for students to develop skills in real-world settings… This study highlights gaps in policy implementation and underscores the need for effective measures to address this issue,” they concluded.