Legislation required to beat the bully
There is no legislation that directly addresses the issue of bullying. That does not mean legal action cannot succeed - it just makes proving your case difficult. If you are bullied on grounds of race, gender, or disability harassment there are discrimination laws that can deal with it. But other forms of victimisation require a different approach.
Health and safety legislation offers one line of approach. Employers have responsibility to ensure that the work environment is not detrimental to an employees health. Given the links between bullying and stress empolyers who allow bullying to flourish may be found to be in breach of their DUTY OF CARE.
Another possibility is to bring a case for CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL where emphasis is on proving that there has been a SIGNIFICANT BREACH of normal working relations. The downside here is that you have to quit your job first.
Whilst there have been significant victories for bullied staff - in 1998 one primary school teacher in Northumberland won 100,000 pounds in an out-of-court settlement - the unions are wary of going to the courts because of the costs involved.  It is not enough to prove bullying in itself - you have to prove the motive for bullying, or concequences. But that could be about to change. A dignity at work bill has been passed in the Louse of Lords. If it gets rubber-stamped in the Commons, bullying at work will be an offence in the same way as harassment and discrimination.
Salford City Council have a policy why doesn’t Edinburgh.
Further information:
Dignity at Work Bill PDF Doc
NHS Dignity at Work Policy PDF Doc
Salford Council Dignity at Work Policy MS Word Doc (963kb)
DignityAtWorkNow.co.uk
Crown Prosecution Service Dignity at Work Policy