New guidance will help NHS Wales to build a culture in which
‘Speaking Up’, is supported safely and all concerns are listened
to.
Today [20th September 2023] the Welsh Government and
NHS Wales have published the Speaking up Safely Framework for NHS
Wales. This framework will enhance existing procedures to ensure
a consistent approach across Wales and provide assurances to
staff that concerns will be taken seriously, heard fairly and
will not result in personal repercussions.
Developed in social partnership with trade unions and NHS Wales
employers, it sets out the responsibilities of all NHS Wales
organisations, their executive teams, and boards, along with
those of managers and individual members of staff to create a
culture in which ‘Speaking Up’, is supported within a safe
environment and everyone knows how to raise a concern and knows
the process which will follow.
Having effective arrangements in place to allow staff to raise
concerns better protects patients and staff and improves people’s
experiences of healthcare. The aim of the new framework is to
ensure all individuals have a voice, are listened to, and receive
a timely and appropriate response.
Following recent events, the Welsh Government has written to all
Welsh Health Boards to ask them to set out the mechanisms they
have in place to encourage staff to speak up confidently about
anything that gets in the way of delivering safe, high quality
care.
The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan said:
“Recent events have been a stark reminder of how vital it is that
everyone working in the NHS feel safe and confident to speak up
about anything that gets in the way of delivering safe,
high-quality care.”
“Speaking up and bringing issues and concerns into the open is a
brave and vulnerable thing to do and NHS Managers must be willing
to listen, deal with concerns appropriately and be open to
constructive challenge.”
“I am committed to creating a culture where speaking up is
welcomed and seen as an opportunity to listen, learn and improve.
The introduction of this framework will assist in driving this
change and ensure that workplaces are safe, respectful and
inclusive for all employees.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
Notes
The framework can be found here:
