Deputy Freedom to Speak up Guardian

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Deputy Freedom to Speak Up Guardian (FTSUG) to work two days a week (15 hours). They will provide leadership and specialist knowledge, supporting the Trust to promote a culture in which everyone has the freedom to speak up about any genuine concern; and instils confidence everyone's voice will be listened to and appropriately followed-up, to enable the Trust to learn from concerns raised.

They will work proactively with the FTSU Lead Guardian, to make speaking up 'business as usual', they will work strategically to identify and support staff to overcome barriers to speaking up.

They will have freedom to act independently and be able to deputise fully for the FTSU Lead Guardian; operating with the same degree of independence, having an impact across the Trust, and demonstrating impartiality and objectivity.

They must be able to handle complex, sensitive, and contentious matters, and be able to challenge senior leadership in relation to these, whilst maintaining co-operation and collaboration with colleagues. Alongside the FTSU Lead Guardian, they will work in partnership with the Trust Chair, the Executive Lead for FTSU, the non-Executive Lead for FTSU and other senior leaders.

They will work collaboratively with the FTSU Lead Guardian to ensure all FTSU Ambassadors are supported to promote a culture of speaking up within the organisation to protect patient safety.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will follow the National Guardians Office (NGO) guidance in independently managing and handling Speaking Up cases, ensuring that their practice aligns with the FTSU Lead Guardian, data, themes, and learning are recorded to facilitate triangulation, learning and improvement.

The post holder will seek to identify the barriers to Speaking Up and work with the FTSU Lead Guardian to address these.

The post holder will support the FTSU Lead Guardian in identifying gaps in Speaking Up provision and engaging with key stakeholders to encourage all workers to Speak Up.

The post holder will ensure individuals are supported when they Speak Up, providing effective and compassionate support and guidance to all workers.

The post holder will manage highly sensitive and confidential information.

The post holder will provide accurate analytical reports to the FTSU Lead Guardian to enable analysis and reporting on FTSU data, themes, identified learning and recommendations.

The post holder will be responsible for disseminating information for the FTSU Ambassadors network meetings, and providing training and supervision for Ambassadors.

The post holder will ensure up to date awareness of guidance from the NGO to support review and improvement of the FTSU service at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

About us

The FTSU service is part of the Chief Nursing Officer's Corporate Directorate. The post holder will be based at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust hospital site with travel to the other sites. The post holder will report to the FTSU Lead Guardian. We are a small team supported by the Associate Chief Nurse for Patient Experience, Workforce, and Education.

The Trust is Reading's biggest employer. All staff have a responsibility to contribute to a safe culture and environment where people feel safe to raise concerns. The organisation strives to create a safe speaking up environment; it is an opportunity to learn and continuously improve.

Our values: C ompassionate, A spirational, R esourceful, E xcellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Outcome

Detail

Workers throughout the organisation have the capability, knowledge, and skills they need to speak up themselves and to support others to speak up

Everyone who works in the organisation has appropriate training and easy access to the knowledge and support they need to speak up and to support others to speak up

Action is taken to ensure that groups that may face particular barriers to speaking up have the knowledge and support they need

Speaking up policies and processes are effective and constantly improved

Local policies and processes are clear and readily available to all workers, meet minimum standards where they are set, and regularly reviewed and updated

Feedback on policies and processes is regularly sought to ensure that they are continuously improved and meet the needs of workers

Senior leaders role model effective speaking up

Senior leaders receive regular reports from their Freedom to Speak Up Lead Guardian that include information on the number and types of cases they deal with, barriers to speaking up, and details of opportunities for learning and improving

Freedom to Speak Up Lead Guardians present their reports in person

Freedom to Speak Up Lead Guardians meet regularly with the organisations CEO or equivalent, and other members of the senior leadership team, as appropriate

Local measures of the impact of freedom to speak up and the Freedom to Speak Up Lead Guardian role are agreed and used to monitor progress

All workers are encouraged to speak up

Induction processes include freedom to speak up messages and explain the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role

Freedom to speak up messages and details of the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role are regularly communicated across the organisation, including feedback on matters that workers are speaking up about, and, mindful of preserving confidentiality where needed, action taken in response to them the impact of these communications is measured

Action is taken to ensure that freedom to speak up messages reach groups that may face particular barriers to speaking up

Individuals are supported when they speak up

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians provide effective and compassionate support and guidance to all workers, developing a local network of champions (or similar) as appropriate to local need, to ensure that they have suitable reach across the organisation

There are alternative routes to progress cases that may otherwise present a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian with a conflict

Cases are recorded according to National Guardian Office guidance

Appropriate action is taken when an issue is brought to the attention of a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, with confidentiality being respected as appropriate, fair and effective investigation, and regular feedback on progress being given

Individuals who have spoken up are thanked and do not suffer as a result of speaking up

Feedback is sought from everyone who is supported by a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

Barriers to speaking up are identified and tackled

Sources of information on barriers to speaking up are assessed and used to prioritise areas for improvement

Action is taken to reduce barriers to speaking up, prioritised according to local need

Information provided by speaking up is used to learn and improve

Any information that indicates a potential risk to patient safety is acted on immediately

Information from cases raised by people speaking up, and barriers to speak up, is brought alongside other intelligence on patient safety, service quality, and staff experience and used to inform organisational learning and development

Freedom to speak up is consistent throughout the health and care system, and ever improving

Guidance issued by the National Guardians Office is followed, and feedback on its effectiveness and impact provided

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians contribute to and support the national Freedom to Speak Up Guardian network

Intelligence on speaking up, case studies and good practice is shared at regional meetings, across networks, and with the National Guardians Office

Information requests from the National Guardians Office are responded to, and Freedom to Speak Up Guardians support the National Guardians Office case review process locally

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians role-model good speaking up practice and challenge poor practice

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians regularly assess their own skills and capabilities and take action to improve

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians offer support and advice to their peers

This job description is not exhaustive but is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities of the post. It will be subject to periodic review in association with the postholder.

Person Specification

interview

Essential

Ability to communicate effectively Evidence of organisational and NHS experince Educated to degree level Experince of managing difficult situations

Desirable

Evidence of working as part of a MDT masters level education

assmeb

Essential

experience of working in challenging situations Evidence of report writing

Desirable

Good listening skills Coaching qualification

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