Banbury and Oxford hospitals in line for top award for whistleblower support

The steps taken to support and encourage whistleblowers to have their say and help improve hospital care in the county has caught the eye of judges for a top national award.
OUH's joint chief people officer Terry Roberts and interim Freedom to Speak Up lead guardian Taffy Makaya.OUH's joint chief people officer Terry Roberts and interim Freedom to Speak Up lead guardian Taffy Makaya.
OUH's joint chief people officer Terry Roberts and interim Freedom to Speak Up lead guardian Taffy Makaya.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is in the running for a Health Service Journal Award after being named as a finalist in the Freedom to Speak Up – in other words, whistleblowing – category.

This has been a big issue across the NHS, with high-profile cases of whistleblowers not being treated well after they spoke out.

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As part of its efforts, the Trust has reviewed its approach and the changes it has made has put it in contention for the award.

A month-long series of online listening events, focus groups, and a trust-wide survey held in the summer of 2021 gave staff the chance to have their say on what would most effectively enable them to speak up about a concern.

Improvements are being made to ensure all staff can easily access advice and support if they have a worry relating to something that may affect not only them but also impact on patient care or working life. The revised approach is being headed up by the Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up interim lead guardian and a strengthened team, including a network of local guardians in the clinical divisions and volunteer FtSU champions across different sites, to help staff feel safe and confident to speak up.

Taffy Makaya, the interim lead guardian, said: “Being shortlisted is excellent recognition of my hardworking and deserving colleagues in the small FtSU team, and of the contribution made by colleagues with whom we collaborate across the Trust.

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“Our staff always go above and beyond to improve staff and therefore patient outcomes and quality of service and care – and aligning with the HSJ Awards programme really allows us to share our success as well as everything we’ve learnt through our project.”

She added: “We aim to create an open and transparent culture across the Trust so that every member of staff feels able to speak up about concerns they have within the workplace. This ensures the best and safest care for all our patients, achieved by learning from and sharing outcomes from concerns raised.”

The FtSU team had contact with more than 2,000 members of staff during 2021-22 and formally supported 116 colleagues.

Joint chief people officer at OUH, Terry Roberts, said: “Huge congratulations to the FtSU team on securing this nomination – we have our fingers crossed for the awards ceremony in November.

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“As evidenced by the review, FtSU staff are very approachable and dedicated, and provide support when needed. The profile of our FtSU guardians has enhanced significantly and we are proud of this HSJ recognition and achievement.”

Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the Battersea Evolution Centre in London on Thursday, November 17.

The OUH vision on whistleblowing is, ‘To promote and ultimately create an open and transparent culture where every member of staff can and should speak up safely, action is taken so the concern is resolved and our patients ultimately benefit’.

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