Perioperative practice
Beware and callout the Three B’s: bitching, backbiting and bullying One of the most distinctive and powerful messages of the Charter is its call to “Call out the Three B’s.” This direct appeal to stop gossip, sabotage, and bullying addresses the very behaviours that corrode team trust. Creating a civil workplace involves zero tolerance for these behaviours and a shared agreement to report and address them when they arise.
Address incivility Incivility can be as damaging as overt aggression. Disrespect, eye-rolling, dismissiveness, or inappropriate humour can create psychological distress. The Charter asks staff to hold each other accountable and support those affected by incivility.
Team collaboration and support No single individual can ensure patient safety and quality care; it’s a team effort. The Charter outlines key behaviours that contribute to a high-functioning and cohesive team.
Reliability Reliability means being prepared, punctual, and consistent. Reliable team members show up fully engaged and ready to contribute. This builds mutual respect and keeps the team running smoothly.
Teamwork Supporting each other, recognising every role, and sharing in successes and challenges forms the backbone of perioperative practice. Collaboration means stepping in when someone is struggling and celebrating when goals are achieved.
Psychological safety One of the most significant indicators of high- performing teams is psychological safety; the belief that you can speak up without fear of ridicule or retaliation. The Charter promotes a culture where practitioners feel safe to express concerns, admit mistakes, or challenge
attitudes, we become more self-aware and better able to adapt. Team reflections and debriefs also enhance collective learning and performance.
Embrace innovation The Charter encourages openness to new ideas, technologies, and methods that improve efficiency and patient outcomes. This includes adopting evidence-based practices, participating in training, and being curious about emerging trends.
AfPP CEO, Alex Duke
unsafe practices. “We want our teams to feel empowered, not intimidated,” explains Oliver Tierney. “Mistakes should be learning opportunities, not moments of shame. The more psychological safety we build, the more we prevent harm.”
Continuous improvement and learning Healthcare is constantly evolving. To provide the best care, perioperative professionals must remain committed to learning, innovation, and self-reflection.
Reflect Reflection supports personal and professional growth. By examining our own behaviours and
Share knowledge Knowledge sharing fosters team development and resilience. Whether mentoring junior colleagues or introducing a new piece of equipment, shared learning builds capability and confidence across the workforce.
From Words to Action: Embedding the Charter To be effective, the Behaviours Charter must become part of daily culture, not just pinned to a noticeboard. This means leadership buy-in, peer-to-peer accountability, and structural integration into appraisals, CPD, and team meetings. Practical strategies for embedding the Charter include: l Incorporating the Charter into staff inductions and mandatory training
l Reflecting on Charter principles during team huddles and debriefs
July 2025 I
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 23
t
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
