NHS Fife backs ‘Speak Up Week’ to help staff raise issues of concern
NHS Fife workers are being encouraged to speak up as part of a national campaign on whistleblowing.
The health board is taking part in ‘Speak Up Week’ which aims to promote a positive speak up culture within the health system and has a theme of ‘Listen, Act, Build Trust’.
A range of activities will take place this week aimed at encouraging staff to raise awareness of the importance of speaking up about concerns within the workplace.
Ben Hannan, NHS Fife’s Director of Planning & Transformation, explained the initiative to health board members on Tuesday.
“Speak up Week is a national initiative across NHS Scotland,” he said. “It involves physical promotion and confidential contacts information, drop in opportunities, walk arounds, really gives us that opportunity to reinforce support in place.”
While events are planned this week, the NHS Fife say they are planning to develop more ways of speaking up around the various sites operated by the health boards.
NHS Fife received three whistleblowing concerns from within the health board, the Fife Health & Social Care Partnership, primary care providers and contracted services.
One was investigated and concluded at stage one while two are being “actively investigated” at stage two.
As well as the introduction of a range of initiatives to encourage staff to come forward with concerns, health workers are also encouraged to complete training in whistleblowing as part of the board’s mandatory training offering.
Mr Hannan added: “Dealing appropriately with whistleblowing or anonymous / unnamed concerns is an important factor in the identification and management of risk and providing appropriate assurance to the Fife NHS Board.
“If staff do not have confidence in the fairness of the procedures through which their concerns are raised, or do not feel assured that concerns raised will be acted upon, there is a risk that they will not raise valid concerns about quality, safety, behaviours, fraud or malpractice.
“The opportunity to investigate and address these concerns will have been lost, with potentially adverse impact on quality, safety and effectiveness of services.”