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The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will step in to provide additional funds for a troubled health board to compensate staff who have been bullied. Health secretary Jeane Freeman

said Holyrood would offer NHS Highland financial support for its so-called "healing process" launched in the wake of an independent inquiry. > "I am hopeful this funding 

will provide compensation and also > psychological support" >  > David Stewart In 2018, a group of senior clinicians from the board blew the whistle on what they described as a

long-running culture of fear and intimidation at the organisation. An independent review led by John Sturrock QC last year found that 66% of 340 staff spoken to reported experiences of

bullying, and that the board had an ineffective speaking-up system in place. Since the investigation, David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands and a Labour shadow health minister, has

been lobbying on behalf of victims. Staff have been told to take their own legal action via an employment tribunal if they want to seek compensation for any financial loss they have suffered

as a result of mistreatment at NHS Highland. MSP David Stewart There have been questions over who would fund any successful claims, amid concerns over the board's finances. The

government has previously said that it had not been approached by the board for help covering the costs. However, this week, Ms Freeman confirmed in response to an official parliamentary

question lodged by Mr Stewart that the government would be providing the board with financial support. She said: “The Scottish Government will provide NHS Highland with additional financial

support to assist with the delivery of the healing process and discussions are ongoing regarding the level of financial support involved.” Mr Stewart praised the move from the government as

"positive". He said: “It is positive that the health secretary has stepped in and I wait to see how much money is going to be transferred. “I am hopeful this funding will provide

compensation and also psychological support for the people who have contacted me and that the system will be independent.” Mr Stewart added that some former employees have had their careers

ruined as a result of bullying and harassment while working at NHS Highland. > "We welcome the cabinet secretary’s commitment to provide > additional financial support" >

  > Norman Provan Norman Provan, associate director at the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, also welcomed the annoucement. He said: “We welcome the cabinet secretary’s commitment to

provide additional financial support to NHS Highland to assist staff who have suffered bullying and harassment. “We will be discussing with the board how best this funding can be used to

support our members and the ongoing work to improve the workplace culture.” Jeane Freeman A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Following proposals for a person-centred healing process

which the NHS Highland whistleblowing group discussed with the health secretary last month, the Scottish Government has agreed to provide additional financial support to assist with

delivery. “NHS Highland has engaged closely with the whistleblowing group and the Area Partnership Forum to develop this process, and external support is currently being commissioned to take

this forward." Ms Freeman has met with the NHS Highland whistleblowing group twice this year, and the health board met the  group to discuss proposals for the healing process in more

detail. A plan will be in place in the next few weeks and the scheme will be dealing with cases by mid-April. Mr Stewart has now lodged an additional question asking how much funding will be

made available. An answer is expected on 18 March. MORE ON THE BULLYING INQUIRY: