The Care Quality Commission published an extensive report on the Trust in May 2014 which found shortage of staff in several areas, “Some staff felt pressure to meet performance targets and spoke of a bullying culture in some areas.”. A report by Acas in October 2014 recounted that employees interviewed reported “aggressive behaviour”, including being “pushed and prodded”, having staff put a hand in their face to stop them speaking, and being called “incompetent, underperforming, useless, thick and dopey”. Examples were also produced of staff being refused compassionate leave to be with their sick or dying close relatives, and many staff said that the sickness policy was “used as a weapon”.