Can you tell me about your speaking up experience? An event
took place with something was said or something was written.
Management didn't like it.
I just happened to be sitting on the table that it happened on
whatever had been done had been done by one of their senior
management team. You got the blame for what was written did
you? Yeah, was it because I was the lowest pay band and was it
'cause I was black member of staff? If you've got the person who owned
up, why don't you come and apologize to me? Or do you
think? Well, actually there's no need? She's a lower pay band and
what does it matter? Yeah, all those thoughts and I just
thought, well, you can't do
that. My speaking up experience was specifically related to
patient safety and the use of the system. I was quite new and
people weren't recording allergies in the same place they
were all over the place and it made me really nervous because I
have allergies and I know what the stakes are if you get it
wrong, I think it all kind of went away in the end when I
realized how much the Guardian process kind of prioritises
your well being. What was it like before you spoke up? I
mean, it's a quite a daunting experience. Was it where you
kind of nervous about doing it? talk me through those
feelings. Yeah, I had all those.
those feelings of fear, feelings of speaking up. Can I really
speak up without any consequences am I really
able to speak up confidentially? You know,
all those things come into play, but I just remember
being so nervous. I am
quite a nervous person, but I just remember feeling like, oh, I'm
going to ruin all these friendships I've got going and
my manager is not going to like me or something's gonna go
wrong. And it didn't.
A bit of a waste of worry. I contacted the Freedom Speak Up
Guardian after the weekend when I came back to work from the
Monday and they emailed me straight away. First thing my
Guardian did was tell me I done the right thing, that it was an
issue of patient safety. They just listen, they didn't
interject, they just sat there and literally just listened to me
pour my heart out.
Within the space of a week had got together some of the you
know, the smartest and most well connected people in the trust.
She had everything planned out. They asked me what I wanted to
do. And I said all I wanted was an apology and that they don't
do it to anybody else, definitely empowered me to
feel stronger and I went about my day to day business as
usual. Without any fear, which is what I had before.
I didn't expect
It to be resolved so quickly. It's so much more relaxing now.
We know this patient has allergies. We don't have to
research both documents that no one's going to die today. We arranged a
meeting
with the senior management team with the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
And I got an apology on the
day. I it was quite an emotive meeting and we all cried if not
affected anything in terms of work relationships, we've now
set up a allyship program for
managers. And we've got a virtual library, so we've got
things now that will hopefully make it easier for people that
are struggling to have those open conversations. So grateful.
Patients is safer at the end of the day, and that's all we all
want. Would you encourage somebody that is in a situation
like you were to speak up?
Yes, and I have done.
I know it's scary, nothing is going to compromise you.
It's all about making sure that you're safe and happy.
But that someone is there to help fix your problem.
Describe your speaking up experience for me, in three words, if
you can?
Empowered. Effective.
Safe reassuring and supportive.