Solent NHS Trust ‘best in class’ again for positive speaking up culture
Solent NHS Trust has been rated ‘best in class’ for its positive speaking up culture for the third year in a row, leading to better care for our patients.
The National Guardian’s Office issued its latest national Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Index report last Thursday, which confirmed Solent as the best performing combined mental health, learning disability and community trust in the country. The Trust also had the third highest FTSU index score nationally, coming in the top 10 ranking for another year.
The score is based on questions from the NHS annual staff survey.
95.1% of Solent’s team "agree" or "strongly agree" that their organisation encourages them to report errors, near misses or incidents. Importantly, the number of Solent’s people "agreeing" or "strongly agreeing" that they feel safe to speak went up for the third year in a row, scoring the highest across the country at 78.3%.
Sue Harriman, Chief Executive at Solent NHS Trust, said: “I’m thrilled that Solent has again been rated so highly in the Freedom To Speak Up Index report. We are never complacent about giving our people the confidence and freedom to speak up; this is at the heart of our values, which prioritise honesty, empathy, accountability responsibility and trust. Our colleagues work in an environment that prioritises their wellbeing and that of our services users. The two are inextricably linked, so enabling colleagues to raise concerns in a safe and caring way ensures good outcomes for all.
“Freedom to Speak Up is a key part of the NHS national People Plan. We have been working on the Solent Great Place to Work strategy for the last five years and are delighted to see that our focus on values, inclusion and engagement are very much mirrored in the national plan.
“We know that having this confidence is vital. It has a huge positive impact on the care that we provide to our patients and our ambitious vision of keeping more people healthy, safe and independent at, or close to, home.
“We will continue to ensure our culture of speaking up is always promoted through our excellent network of Freedom to Speak Up Guardians. As part of this work we will be reaching out to those in Solent who may require even further support to feel confident in voicing their concerns.
“Research indicates there is a very strong correlation between Trusts that have a positive speaking up culture and Trusts that are rated highest by CQC. We see this on the ground and are incredibly proud of our people in Solent who provide great care to our patients, service users, their families, carers and communities. We continue to listen, learn and give our people and our communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight the opportunity to be heard.”
Freedom To Speak Up Guardians exist in all NHS Trusts across the country, allowing staff to seek confidential advice and support if they have a concern in the workplace. They can help raise any concerns and provide colleagues with confidential advice and support.
The guardians help ensure the Trust is an open and transparent place to work where everyone is encouraged and enabled to speak up safely.