PROFESSIONALISM
that only 72 per cent of respondents were confident that it is safe to raise a concern. Francis also believes any new legislation can only go so far. In the report he speaks of a ‘just culture’ as opposed to a ‘no blame’ culture and states that raising concerns should be part of the normal routine business of any well-led NHS organisation. Holt – also a former whistleblower – agrees: “It’s around the
raising of awareness and remembering we are there for patients. We must try and focus on the patients first. Any anxieties about how this might reflect on the organisation or on the team – we have to try and put those aside. “All that patients want is for people to acknowledge when things
have gone wrong and to learn. And if we start doing that now the health service will become safer step by step and the culture will gradually change. Basically it’s just being brave enough to take that first step.”
Independent “guardians” In the report Sir Robert sets out 20 principles and actions designed to promote a culture in the NHS where staff feel safe and are encouraged to speak up – and one that prevents discrimination against people who have been “brave enough” to do so. Proposals include instituting a Freedom to Speak Up guardian in every NHS trust – a named person in hospitals to give independent support and advice to staff who want to speak up and to hold the board to account if it fails to focus on the patient safety issue. To support these guardians Francis proposes a National
Independent Officer with a mandate to “intervene when cases are going wrong and to identify any failing to address dangers to patient safety, the integrity of the NHS or injustice to staff”. Te review also calls for a new support scheme to help “good” NHS staff who have found themselves out of a job as a result of raising concerns get back into work. Te government has accepted the Francis recommendations in
principle and it is no doubt hoped that the review will serve as a legacy for Linda Reynolds and other professionals who have spoken out to prevent further suffering due to patient safety failures. Sadly, Dr Reynolds did not live to see justice
fully done – she died of cancer at age 49 just weeks before Shipman was convicted in January 2000.
n Jim Killgore is publications editor at MDDUS
SPRING 2015
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