Psychological safety of NHS staff is critical for patient safety, says new report

Feb 17 2015

Recognition of the important role psychology has in the Freedom to Speak Up Review is welcomed by the British Psychological Society. The report makes it clear that:

• psychological safety for staff in the NHS is critical for patient safety
• key areas of improvement are needed to the levels of staff psychological wellbeing.

Dr Joanna Wilde, who led the Society's contribution to the Francis review, is speaking at the Building a Better NHS event this afternoon (Monday 16 February 2015) at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London. Delegates will discuss key areas for action in the NHS for the next government following the election in May. Dr Wilde will be discussing the important role psychology has in implementing the recommendations of the report on whistleblowing.

In the report Sir Robert Francis QC highlighted the need to 'normalise' the raising of concerns - something he said should be "welcomed and celebrated". Psychology and psychologists will take an important role in helping to achieve the culture change needed if NHS staff will feel able to speak up and raise concerns.

Dr Wilde said: "The focus on culture change and psychological safety means our profession must step up to help create these cultures. We can also make a significant contribution to recruitment and support for the recommended Speak Up Guardian roles advocated across the NHS. The recommendations also have scope to be reinforcing of good practice and de-escalation, rather than predominately focussed on bad practice, which psychologically we know leads to more effective behaviour change."

The report described sensitively the system which drives behaviour and hence the clear accountability placed on those at senior level for the tone they set, and the pressures that may lead to managers, professionals and other staff behaving counter-productively is balanced and in keeping with the overall call for just cultures.

Dr Joanna Wilde chairs the Society's Professional Practice Board Work and Health Policy Group.

Dr Ian Gargan, chair of the Professional Practice Board endorsed Dr Wilde's comments. He said: "Practitioner psychologists have significant contributions to make offering individual support, education and training as well as stabilisation within the workplace for the whistleblower and the organisation as a whole. Specific points to highlight are:

• educating managers and HR professionals on how to communicate with those who whistle blow, to prevent deterioration in mental health. Psychology is particularly well placed to provide support for the stress and depression that we know these experiences have created for whistleblowers who have come forward under the current regime
• defining mechanisms which support the whistleblower
• creating guidelines to support the organisation which may be affected by the consequences of negative information, having undermined confidence and wellbeing at work."

If necessary, funds to support the provision of psychology should be available and accessible in order to address individuals' compromised mental health and fulfil ethical obligations while ensuring global best practice.

The Society submitted a full response to the Independent Review on Whistleblowing in the NHS.

In November 2014 the Society's Division of Occupational Psychology launched a report on NHS Culture Change: Contributions from Occupational Psychology.