Norwich NHS staff must be able to Speak Out Safely
NHS Norwich Clinical Commissioning Group and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have made a joint public pledge: Staff must speak out if they have concerns about patient care.
Both organisations have signed up to the Speak Out Safely campaign, being run by the Nursing Times.
Whether they are doctors, nurses, support staff or managers, they will be supported if they speak out, their concerns will be treated constructively and investigated if required.
The NNUH and the CCG signed up to Speak Out Safely together – in a joint public declaration of support.
The Chief Executive of NNUH, Anna Dugdale, said: “We actively encourage our staff, through our Speak Up Policy, to come forward if they have concerns so we are delighted to be able to sign up to and give our full support to the Speak Out Safely campaign.
“We are committed to achieving the highest possible standards of service and the highest ethical standards for our patients, and all our stakeholders, and one of the best ways of doing this is by encouraging our people to come forward to tell us about their concerns.”
Jonathon Fagge, Chief Executive of NHS Norwich Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We must have a culture in the NHS where patients and quality of care comes first.
“NHS staff on the front line or behind the scenes can see when things are not going right or can be improved. We say they can – and must – speak out. This way we can all drive up standards of care for patients.”
The Speak Out Safely logo is on the front page of the CCG website and NNUH website.
The CCG pledge
This Clinical Commissioning Group supports the principles of the Nursing Times Speak Out Safely campaign. This means we believe that every member of our staff, our member practices and the staff employed by those health and care organisations that we commission to deliver high-quality services for our citizens, should feel able to raise concerns about wrongdoing or poor practice when they see it and are confident that their concerns will be addressed in a constructive way.
Ensuring that high-quality and appropriate care is available to our citizens is our primary responsibility. We acknowledge that the staff who come into everyday contact with our citizens (patients, carers) are often best placed to identify where care may be falling below the standard our citizens deserve and we expect.
In order to ensure our high standards continue to be met, we will work on two fronts:
* We will ensure that the systems and culture is in place within our own organisation where every member of our staff feels able to raise concerns with their line manager, or another member of the management team.
* We will work closely with the providers of the services we commission to receive assurance that everyone in their organisations feels able to highlight wrongdoing or poor practice when they see it or are informed of it, and are confident that their concerns will be addressed in a constructive way. We will seek assurance that where a member of their staff identifies a genuine safety concern for our citizens, they will be supported, a full investigation will be undertaken and, if appropriate, act on their concern.
Acute pledge
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust supports the Nursing Times Speak Out Safely campaign. This means we want every member of our staff to feel able to raise concerns about wrongdoing or poor practice when they see it and confident that their concerns will be addressed in a constructive way.
We promise that where staff identify a genuine patient safety concern, we will support them, fully investigate and, if appropriate, act on their concern. We will also give them feedback about how we have responded to the issue they have raised, as soon as possible.
Whether you are a permanent employee, an agency or temporary staff member, or a volunteer, please speak up when you feel something is wrong. We want you to be able to Speak Out Safely.