Drowning team.

[buddhasbelly45]

I'm driving myself crazy going round in circles with this. Hopefully you kind lot can help me clear it in my head.

Please excuse the bullet points but I ramble otherwise. So...

*Colleague is most experienced in the team but same band as threats of us
*She's always had difficulties with time management and prioritising but worse in the last year or so. We take up the slack and she takes time owing.
*We don't have an immediate manager and haven't for over two years (post still to be fecking advertised)
*Last few months colleague seems to be tearful more often, likely due the fact that others in the team have stopped completing her work.
*Today she had a mini breakdown with me saying she can't cope and isn't managing. I agree and suggested she have a think about whether the job is worth the stress and upset.

Thing is should I bump this up to senior management? The rest of us in the team can't keep carrying her but don't want to make her life miserable.
We all feel something needs to change but struggle with guilt at the thought of "telling" on her. On the other hand it's not a job that can or should be done poorly and there's risks involved.

Yes, I would bump it up to senior management, but do it in the sense of, "We've been without an immediate manager for two years, and the pressure is really starting to tell, causing risks, and we need support." I wouldn't go into details about individuals until you've got the ear of a manager who is prepared to listen and take some action. IME, focussing on how it will cost the company take (or not take) particular action (and risks can cost companies) is more likely to result in action than just talking about the people side of thing. In a lot of companies, it does come down to money.

Also, are there any options like an employee assistance programme where she can get some support? Or anyone in HR? Or training courses on stress management or anything?

There is a lot of support available and has previously mentioned accessing them but it comes to nothing.

My concern is, from a selfish point of view perhaps,that if something goes badly wrong her statements re not coping will come back on us. Are we obliged to escalate the issue from a safety point of view? We are in healthcare.

I don't know if you are obliged to escalate the issue (but I would hope so.) However, I think you do also need to focus on protecting yourselves, and I think it would be helpful to have a paper trail (emails or whatever) to show you've tried to get support for the department, because you're struggling.