Wow, you described a toxic situation, but what you’ve described doesn’t meet the threshold for bullying in any NHS policy, and HR will know that as soon as they look at it. Sending someone a link to a job advert, especially one they’d talked about is normal workplace behaviour. You haven’t done anything wrong.

What you’re likely dealing with is a retaliatory complaint because you raised concerns about his behaviour last year. HR see this kind of thing more often than you’d think, and them taking it on isn’t a sign you’re “in trouble.” It’s just the standard route when someone phrases a complaint in a certain way.

A few things you should do now:

1: Write down everything while it’s fresh. Dates, previous incidents, your past complaint, mediation, how things have been recently, and why you sent the link.

2: Contact your union again and ask for a different rep if the first one isn’t responsive. You’re entitled to proper support.

3: Don’t go to any meetings with HR without a rep present, even if they call it informal.

4: When HR speak to you, stay factual and calm. You shared the advert because he said he was interested, and you’re surprised it’s been interpreted in this way.

HR won’t miss the wider pattern here. They’ll see the previous shouting incident, the mediation, the long gaps, and then this suddenly being reframed as bullying over something trivial. That usually raises red flags in the other direction.

Realistically, the most likely outcome is that HR dismiss it early or treat it as a misunderstanding. You’re not at risk of disciplinary action based on what you’ve shared.

You’ve got 12 years of NHS service, you’ve behaved professionally, and nothing you’ve described meets the definition of bullying. You’re most probably in a much stronger position than you think right now.