If you work at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust or are a former worker, this encompasses healthcare professionals, non-clinical workers, receptionists, directors, managers, contractors, volunteers, students, trainees, junior doctors, locum, bank and agency workers. For former workers, they should raise the whistleblowing matter within one year of leaving the Trust, however former employees should abide by the timescales in the relevant HR policies e.g. Resolution Policy where applicable.
Freedom to Speak Up
We welcome speaking up and we will listen. By speaking up at work you will be playing a vital role in helping us to keep improving our services for all patients and the working environment for our staff. The NHS People Promise commits to ensuring that “we each have a voice that counts, that we all feel safe and confident to speak up, and take the time to really listen to understand the hopes and fears that lie behind the words”
You can speak up about anything that gets in the way of patient care or affects your working life. That could be something which does not feel right to you: for example, a way of working or a process that is not being followed; you feel you are being discriminated against; or you feel the behaviours of others is affecting your wellbeing, or that of your colleagues or patients
Step 1: Tell someone
If you have a concern about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work raise your concern directly with your line manager, shift supervisor or mentor as soon as possible. You do not need to provide evidence but it is helpful if you can provide as much information as possible to enable your manager to address the concern.
Step 2: Escalate your concern
If you are unable for any reason to take step 1, or have taken it but not had a satisfactory reaction, then please escalate your concern to a senior manager within your department.
Step 3: Raise your concern with your FTSU Guardian
If you do not feel able to raise you concern with your manager or if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of stage 1 and 2 then please contact your Freedom to Speak Up Guardian at:
- Email: FreedomtoSpeakUp@royalberkshire.nhs.uk
- Telephone: 07766 546 271 or 07350 457 05