Shropshire trust boosts team dealing with NHS staff concerns
The trust that runs Shropshire's two main hospitals has boosted the team responsible for listening to concerns raised by NHS staff.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) now has three freedom to speak up guardians and 24 advocates.
It comes after the trust came in the bottom four of a survey on staff engagement among 38 trusts across the country.
The survey of more than 2,500 staff raised concerns about bullying and showed only 60.6 per cent of respondents ‘would feel secure raising concerns about unsafe clinical practice’ – the lowest figure across the country.
Freedom to speak up guardians, which exist in all NHS trusts, act in an independent capacity to make hospitals safer for patients and staff.
They encourage a more honest environment where all staff, volunteers and students feel able to raise any issues or concerns and know that they will be addressed.
Kate Adney, Chan Kaur and Teresa Carrington are SaTH's three freedom to speak up guardians.
Meanwhile, the advocates work on a voluntary basis and can provide informal and confidential guidance on how to raise a concern.
They fulfil this role in addition to their regular jobs, which are both in clinical and non-clinical areas.
Commitment
Ms Adney said: “We are proud to have three freedom to speak up guardians and over 20 advocates at SaTH.
"Our growing numbers show a real commitment to the wellbeing and safety of our staff and patients.
“We are working to strengthen the profile and presence of the important work we do across the trust to reinforce the message that raising a concern isn’t disloyal, and that all wrongdoing, poor practice or bullying will be addressed immediately and dealt with.”
SaTH’s medical director Dr Arne Rose, the executive lead for freedom to speak up, said: “As a board, we recognise what we are hearing through the staff survey and we take these matters very seriously indeed.
“A lot of work has already been undertaken and I look forward to working with the expanded team to develop this even further.”
The freedom to speak up guardian role was introduced in 2015 following the publication of the freedom to speak up review, chaired by Sir Robert Francis QC, which examined whistleblowing in the NHS.
Speaking at the time, Sir Robert said: “Everyone in the NHS needs to support staff so they have the courage to do the right thing when they have concerns about patient safety.
"We need to get away from a culture of blame, and the fear that it generates, to one which celebrates openness and commitment to safety and improvement.
"If these things are achieved, the NHS will be a better place to work. Above all, it will be a safer place for patients.”
The trust, which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, also recently introduced a new phone app to increase engagement between staff and their bosses.
The app allows staff to read the latest news and updates and access rotas, while also providing important links to staff development opportunities and the latest benefits and discounts available.
