Freedom to Speak Up

Sue Franklin is in charge of the Freedom to Speak Up campaign at Bradford Teaching Hospitals

My name is Sue Franklin and I am the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian for Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

My role, alongside the Associate Guardians, is to provide guidance and advice on how those working in our hospitals may raise and escalate concerns, outside of usual line management or reporting structures.

We all want to have a culture where we feel confident and supported to raise and report concerns, and one that is free from bullying and / or harassment.

If you’re a BTHFT staff member and you’d like to raise and escalate concerns, please find out more below.

Freedom to Speak Up graphic

Speak up - we will listen

Speaking up about any concern you have at work is really important. In fact, it’s vital because it will help us to keep improving our services for our patients and the working environment for our staff.

You may feel worried about raising a concern, and we understand this. But please don’t be put off. In accordance with our duty of candour, our senior leaders and entire board are committed to an open and honest culture.

We will look into what you say and you will always have access to the support you need. If you raise a genuine concern under this policy, you will not be at risk of losing your job or suffering any form of reprisal as a result. Find out more by clicking on the infographic below.

 

You can raise a concern about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing that you think may be harming the service we deliver. Just a few examples of this might include:

  • unsafe patient care
  • unsafe working conditions
  • inadequate induction or training for staff
  • lack of, or poor, response to a reported patient safety incident
  • suspicions of fraud (can also be reported to our local counter-fraud team)
  • a bullying culture (across a team or organisation rather than individual instances)

Remember that if you are a health professional you may have a professional duty to report a concern. If in doubt, please raise it.

Don’t wait for proof. We would like you to raise the matter while it is still a concern. It doesn’t matter if you turn out to be mistaken as long as you are genuinely troubled.

This procedure is not for people with concerns about their employment that affect only them, that type of concern should be raised in line with the BTHFT Grievance Policy.

How to speak up

If you have a concern about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, we hope you will feel able to raise it first with you line manager, lead clinician or tutor (for students). This may be done orally, in writing or via the online incident reporting system. However if you feel unable to do this, please raise the matter with your BTHFT Freedom to Speak up Guardian or Associate Guardians. They have been given special responsibility and training in dealing with your concerns.

How to raise a concern

If you have a concern about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, we hope you will feel able to raise it first with you line manager, lead clinician or tutor (for students). This may be done orally, in writing or via the online incident reporting system. However if you feel unable to do this, please raise the matter with your BTHFT Freedom to Speak up Guardian or Associate Guardians. They have been given special responsibility and training in dealing with your concerns.

The process that you need to follow to raise a concern:

  • We will always thank you for raising your concerns and will treat you with respect at all stages of the process.
    Your concern can be raised in three ways:
    By emailing Speakup.Guardian@bthft.nhs.uk
    OR
    By Downloading BTHFT FTSU free App from the App store for Smart phones, (this can also be used anonymously)
    OR
    By Contacting the FTSU Guardian or an Associate Guardian directly by telephone, email or in writing
  • Your concern will be acknowledged within 2 working days and our FTSU Guardian or an Associate Guardian will contact you to discuss your concerns (unless the concern has been raised anonymously)
  • An independent, objective and evidence based investigation will be undertaken within a reasonable time frame agreed with you
  • You will receive updates to inform you of the progress of the investigation. If possible, the full investigation report will be shared with you (while respecting the confidentiality of others)

The Freedom to Speak Up Guardians and Ambassadors have been given special responsibility and training in dealing with your concerns. They will:

  • Provide confidential advice and support to staff in relation to their concerns
  • Make sure staff feel free and safe to speak up and raise concerns
  • Support staff to ensure that no detriment comes to individuals who raise concerns in the interest of patient and staff safety
  • Help to raise the profile of raising concerns in our Trust

If you raise a concern anonymously then the issue will be harder to address – but your concern will be looked into. However no personal feedback will be possible.

Download our Freedom to Speak Up Policy.

What do FTSU Guardians do?

The Freedom to Speak Up Guardians have been given special responsibility and training in dealing with your concerns. They will:

  • Provide confidential advice and support to staff in relation to their concerns
  • Make sure staff feel free and safe to speak up and raise concerns
  • Support staff to ensure that no detriment comes to individuals who raise concerns in the interest of patient and staff safety
  • Help to raise the profile of raising concerns in our Trust

If you raise a concern anonymously then the issue will be harder to address – but your concern will be looked into. However no personal feedback will be possible.

Contact details for FTSU Guardians

Contact details for your FTSU Guardian and Associate Guardians

​Sue Franklin FTSU Guardian & Associate Chief Nurse for Quality Improvement Susan.franklin@bthft.nhs.uk
​Karen Dawber Chief Nurse & Executive Lead for FTSU ​Karen.Dawber@bthft.nhs.uk
Karen Walker Non-Executive Director for FTSU Karen.Walker@bthft.nhs.uk
Leeanne Elliott Deputy FTSU Guardian & Consultant Radiologist / Deputy Medical Director Leeanne.Elliott@bthft.nhs.uk
Sarah Freeman Head of Nursing Sarah.Freeman@bthft.nhs.uk
Amandeep Singh Partnership Lead, Staff side Chair Amandeep.Singh@bthft.nhs.uk
Rupert Allen Principal Dietitian Rupert.Allen@bthft.nhs.uk
Anthony Doggett Programme Manager, Bowel Cancer Screening Anthony.doggett@bthft.nhs.uk
Faye Alexander Education Manager – Professional Education Faye.Alexander@bthft.nhs.uk
Helen Fearnley Lead Tissue Viability Advanced Nurse Practitioner Helen.Fearnley@bthft.nhs.uk
June Thomas Midwife June.Thomas@bthft.nhs.uk
Nazia Amir Personal Assistant, Chief Nurse Team Nazia.Amir@bthft.nhs.uk
Rebecca Carter Education Lead, Technology Enhanced Learning Rebecca.Carter@bthft.nhs.uk
Simon Kirk General Manager, Urgent and Emergency Care Simon.Kirk@bthft.nhs.uk
Emma Fleary Specialist Midwife for Pastoral Care and Preceptorship, Maternity Emma.Fleary@bthft.nhs.uk
FTSU guardian pic