Freedom to speak up - employer actions
When things go wrong, having a speaking up and listening culture is critical to enabling an open dialogue, including time for reflection and learning. It is important for working in partnership with your staff to drive improvements. This page outlines a number of key considerations, resources and case studies which will be useful to take into account when reviewing and developing local arrangements
When staff speak up, they should feel safe in doing so and assured that their concerns are listened to. Equally, those notified about concerns must be confident and consistent in handling these cases. The long term workforce plan emphasises the importance of ensuring the right culture to support speaking up is implemented.
The national Freedom to Speak Up policy, provides the minimum standard for local Freedom to Speak Up policies across the NHS. This means that those who work in the NHS know how to speak up and what will happen when they do. It is designed to be inclusive and support resolution by managers wherever possible. Read the policy on the NHS England website.
NHS England has also published Freedom to Speak Up guidance to help senior leaders in NHS organisations develop a culture where leaders and managers encourage workers to speak up and where matters raised drive learning and improvement. To accompany this, a self-reflection and planning tool has been developed, which will assist in highlighting areas that need improvement and where employers are succeeding.
Communicating the policy and engaging with staff
Staff should have a clear understanding of the definition and process of raising concerns. There are multiple ways organisations can ensure that this is the case. For example, posters and leaflets can be displayed around the building, in team meetings, or in designated staff areas.
Organisations should also consider how they can assure themselves that all staff receive the same information and are clear about how to raise a concern and where to seek advice from, including those working across different sites, out in the community or who choose different working patterns (for example, shifts and working from home).
Understanding intelligence
It is important to work closely with relevant parts of your organisation to better understand how effective local arrangements are in fostering a positive raising concerns culture. HR teams will find it beneficial to forge strong links with their Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and wider management teams to understand areas of concern and identify actions for improvement. Working in partnership with local trade unions and communication teams will be helpful to ensure all workers understand how to raise concerns they have, and the responsibility of managers is to ensure they have a platform where concerns are listened to and responded to in an effective and timely manner.
Training
Mandatory training should be provided to all staff so that they understand the organisation's policy and local arrangements. It should also be provided to those with responsibility for handling concerns, so they feel confident and equipped to handle issues effectively. It is good practice to include the handling of concerns raised as part of any disciplinary and grievance training.
Health Education England (HEE) provides an online training package on raising and handling concerns in the NHS. The training package was produced in partnership with Protect (formerly Public Concern at Work) and can be used by staff and managers.
Supporting staff who raise concerns
Speaking up can be a difficult and stressful process for all parties concerned. Employers should ensure staff understand where they can seek further help, advice and support from, at all stages of them raising a concern - to assure their health and wellbeing. The same level of support should be offered to individuals who have had concerns raised about them. In all cases, it will be important for managers to check in with individuals once an investigation into a concern has concluded, to make sure they have access any support they may need.
There are a number of resources available on our health and wellbeing pages which will be helpful for managers to refer to when supporting staff.
National Guardian's Office (NGO): Principles for Responding to Speaking Up
The NGO has developed 12 key principles together with the Speak Up Partnership Group to ensure that an aligned, consistent and supportive approach is embedded when employees speak up to them. These principles should be used by employers in the NHS to ensure that employees that speak up are supported correctly. Access the Principles for Responding to Speaking Up over on the NGO's website.
Leadership and culture
Having a speaking up and listening culture is critical to enabling an open dialogue. It is important for working in partnership with your staff, that this culture is reflected in leadership and actively promoted in the trust. Read how The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust actively encourage the board to listen up and follow up on the National Guardians Office website.
Compassionate leadership involves understanding, empathising with, and supporting your staff. The purpose of compassionate leadership is to help create conditions where all your staff are listened to and supported. The National Guardians Office have released a podcast series in conversation with inspirational leaders within healthcare and how they speak up, listen up and follow up. They have published guidance on the requirements for recruiting and embedding Freedom to Speak Up guardians in organisations.
