Our third topic of this series was held on Monday 12 June and focused on 'Empowering HHFT colleagues to drive a just culture and encourage speaking up’and was hosted by Julie Dawes, Chief Nurse. 

A big thank you to all 76 of you  who came along to the session. We really valued hearing your thoughts and ideas.  

If you missed the session and still want to get involved, there are lots of ways you can do so.  

Catch up on the recording of ‘Empowering HHFT colleagues to drive a just culture and encourage speaking up’’ by clicking here.  

Click here to view the slides from this session. 

Click here to read the Jamboard feedback from this session. 

Once you are caught up, click here to email your feedback and experience with subjects surrounding this theme (i.e., what would make it easier to speak up?​), and any feedback on how we could improve the sessions going forward. 

Some of the key themes that you shared at the session included:  

1. Lead by example, we can all be role models

2. Make time to talk to each other and prioritise 1-1's and appraisals

3. Promote the speaking up channels more

Click on the accordions below to find out more.

Lead by example

  • Ensure you escalate and report concerns
  • Support others to share and raise concerns
  • Use platforms currently in place to discuss and share concerns and actions e.g., 1:1's, appraisals, student feedback
  • Actively take time to listen to colleagues

Make it Business as Usual

  • Share speaking up platforms
  • Include learning from concerns in safety huddles
  • Have speaking up champions in each area
  • Share positive outcomes from speaking up

Communication is key

  • Provide meaningful feedback on DATIX
  • Share successes in local area from speaking up
  • Include in daily conversations with staff e.g., is there anything you are worried about?
  • Share your examples of speaking up

Empower your team

  • Support having a speaking up champion
  • Encourage staff to raise and act on concerns to improve the environment
  • Create psychological safety in your team so that staff feel able to raise concerns
  • When things go wrong follow 'just culture' principles (not a blame culture)

Protect time

  • Highlight and embed importance of time spent talking to staff e.g., 1:1's / appraisals
  • Support protected time for speaking up roles
  • Protect a specific time in the day so managers can be visible and contactable

 

Lead by example

  • Senior leaders to lead by example by addressing concerns raised
  • Role model a just culture in meetings
  • Ensure visibility of senior staff 
  • More promotion of speaking up channels

 

 

Actions

We have heard from everyone today that we all need to play our part and ensure we speak up when we are concerned. However we are not always sure how. 

  • Share success stories of people who have spoken up and the changes that have happened
  • FTSU speak up to continue newsletter
  • Increase visibility of FTSU guardians
  • More comms about different channels and ways to speak up
  • Bring speaking up into everyday platforms e.g., ward huddles / team meetings
  • Check out the FTSU trustnet page for more information on the guardians

We heard a lot about different practices happening across areas and sites to increase pyschological safety and encourage speaking up. It would be great to learn from one another and share all the best practice. 

  • Become an inclusive culture champion
  • Attend Human Factors training (iHuPs)
  • Prioritise 1:1's and appraisals
  • Take time to talk to colleagues and check in
  • Seek out training to help have courageous converations

You had lots of suggestions of ways we could all individually take some ownership and accountability to improve the speaking up culture. 

  • Make sure you raise any concerns you have and support others to
  • Support your colleagues to attend training to promote speaking up and a culture of belonging
  • Make a display that promotes all the speaking up channels in your work area
  • Become an inclusive culture champion
  • Share success stories from speaking up

There are lots of ways you can get involved in our Big Conversation going forward, please email us at culturechange@hhft.nhs.uk if you would like to take part, we would love to hear from you.