Band 8a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

Job responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities for the post of FTSU Lead Guardian relate to the following key domains:

Culture Develop and deliver communication and engagement interventions aimed at increasing the understanding and visibility of the FTSU Lead and Local Speak Up Champions roles amongst the organisations workforce. Promote local speaking up processes and sources of support and guidance, demonstrate the impact that speaking up is having in the organisation, and appropriately celebrate speaking up. Ensure that staff are aware of, and have access to, support to help them speak up and through the Champions, ensure that Freedom to Speak Up awareness reaches all parts of the organisation, and everyone has easy access to someone outside their immediate line-management chain who can advise and support them. Take action to ensure that groups that may face particular barriers to speaking up have the knowledge and support they need. Ensure that staff with disabilities and people from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to speak up and are not disadvantaged by doing so. Participate in the organisations education and development programme for all staff, so that they understand how they can raise concerns and for Managers about how they respond to concerns and supporting the member of staff appropriately.

In partnership with the Associate Director for Culture and Staff Engagement, members of the Equality and Organisational Development Team, HR professionals and other senior managers, review and act upon staff opinion and feedback arising from engagement activities, including annual NHS Staff Survey, Staff Friends and Family Test and exit interviews. The Lead Guardian will supervise and support the Champions in delivering the framework, assuring governance and data recording is in line with national standards.

Process improvement Work with HR professionals, the Communications Team and others, to ensure that speaking up guidance and processes are clear and accessible, reflect best practice and address any local issues that may hinder the speaking up process. Assess the effectiveness of speaking up processes and the handling of individual cases, intervening when these are failing people who speak up, and making recommendations for improvement. The guardian will lead and engage any FTSU reviews within the organisation.

Capability Assess the knowledge and capability of staff to both speak up and support people when they speak up. Ensure that all staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to enable them to speak up effectively, and those supporting, managing or investigating speaking up issues have the capability and knowledge to do this effectively. Ensure that appropriate items relating to speaking up are incorporated into induction programmes for all staff. Ensure that groups of staff and individuals who may find it difficult to speak up are identified and given particular support.

Supporting Staff Ensure that information and data are handled appropriately, and personal and confidential data are protected. This will involve using technology for recording, analysing and reporting of issues raised, developing and presenting training materials to groups of staff and managers, and for developing marketing materials and feedback surveys.

Ensure that individuals receive appropriate feedback on how issues about which they speak up are investigated, and the conclusion of any investigation. Where necessary, provide additional support to people and groups who are experiencing difficulty with speaking up, or those who are experiencing difficulty in handling or supporting someone who is speaking up. Prepare regular raising concerns communications to staff, sharing non-confidential information and lessons learnt from concerns. Provide direct support and guidance in the development of appointed Speak Up Champions.

Working with the Board Develop effective and open working relationships with the Chairman, Chief Executive, the Senior Independent Director, other Executive and Non-Executive Directors. Meet regularly, at least quarterly, with the Chief Executive to feedback themes from the concerns raised and to share positive and negative experiences and outcomes. As agreed with the Chairman, regularly attend meetings of the Board to report on Freedom to Speak Up activities (reports will include assessment of issues about which people are speaking up, trends, and barriers particular attention will be given to concerns which may suggest a link to patient safety and quality). Acting as a critical friend to Board members, support the Board in ensuring it takes appropriate action to create a Freedom to Speak Up culture, assess trends, and actively responds to issues that are being raised.

Safety and Quality Take immediate appropriate action when matters about which people are speaking up indicate that safety and quality may be compromised. Develop measures, data sets, and indicators to monitor trends and identify linkages between issues raised through people speaking up, and issues raised through other safety and quality routes. Take responsibility to ensure that escalation to external bodies, outside of the organisation are appropriately used when required.

Wider NHS Culture Participate in National Guardian Office activities and training, actively supporting fellow FTSU Guardians, developing personal networks and peer relationships, contributing to wider networking events such as the West Midlands FTSUG network, and sharing and learning from best practice. Where required, seek advice and guidance from the National Guardians Office. Keep abreast of developments and best practice, and assess own and Speak Up Champions development and training needs in addressing these. Guidance issued by the National Guardians Office should be followed, and feedback on its effectiveness and impact provided, and information provided to the NGO as required.

Qualification/Training

Essential

• Degree or equivalent industry qualification or the appropriate equivalent experience (in the absence of a qualification, equivalent experience will be seen as experience within a similarly complex role, successfully supporting, mentoring, training or counselling staff or implementing a range of initiatives within a complex environment/ organisation)
• Recognised professional qualification
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development

Desirable

• Ongoing membership of a registered clinical or HR body (e.g. GMC, GDC, NMC, HCPC, CIPD)
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development at Masters level or equivalent
• Completion of recognised training for Speak Up Guardians (e.g. HEE e-learning package/ Public Concern at Work training programme)

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Detailed understanding of the workings of a large community NHS Trust and how the Trust values, and key priorities and challenges impact on staff. Comprehensive understanding of the issues and implications relating to the Francis Report and the Freedom to Speak up Review and the Board Self Assessment
• Proven computer literacy in the use of business/ office software packages, particularly proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook

Desirable

• Understanding of the issues relating to cultural change, staff engagement and the NHS constitution
• Experience of working operationally, and have managed complex management and HR processes

Experience

Essential

• Extensive relevant experience of working in a senior clinical role in an NHS or social care environment
• Previous management of complex concerns and issues, in a management, staff side or governance role
• Comprehensive track record of supporting and listening to staff
• Extensive relevant experience of working in a multi-professional team in an NHS or social care environment
• Extensive relevant experience of managing matters of a confidential nature
• Extensive relevant experience of facilitating conversations between staff and Managers
• Extensive relevant experience of working with people at all levels of an organisation, including Very Senior Managers and Directors
• Knowledge and experience of handling complex working relationships
• Extensive relevant experience of providing effective support to staff in difficult work-related situations
• Highly developed negotiating and influencing skills, with the ability to overcome barriers to understanding to achieve acceptance and agreement
• Experience of analysing, interpreting and presenting data/evidence and applying to practice
• Knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity
• Knowledge and understanding of the key principles of confidentiality and the data protection legislation
• Experience of supporting people to Speak Up
• Extensive relevant experience of listening and taking action, as required

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of current NHS and government strategic initiatives and key policies particularly in relation to Speaking Up

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Demonstrate a commitment to the highest ethical and professional values and a belief in the principles of the Freedom to Speak Up agenda
• Personal credibility and professional demeanour that generates the trust of audiences from a range of backgrounds and at all levels within and outside the organisation
• Be an approachable, trusted, non-judgemental individual, who is comfortable with talking with staff from all disciplines and all grades and can build a rapport which demonstrates compassion and understanding
• Able to demonstrate compassionate leadership at all levels across the Trust
• Have an understanding of mediation and managing confidential matters; this includes an understanding of managing and keeping confidential records of cases
• Excellent interpersonal skills, showing sensitivity and empathy with the ability to be assertive, tactful and diplomatic when necessary
• Be responsive and resilient
• Works effectively in an environment with unpredictable work pressures, prioritising work appropriately
• Accuracy, attention to detail, observant and discreet
• Self-motivated and determined to achieve the Freedom to Speak Up principles

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• Ability to travel between sites when required
• Ability to work unsocial hours when needed
• Ability to work unsocial hours when needed
• Driving continuous improvement
• Training and capability building
• Measuring effectiveness and impact
• Communication
• Partnership building and relationship management
• Knowledge of the Speaking Up agenda and the importance of robust local systems

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (including written information tailored to the audience)
• Able to facilitate conversations between members of staff and their Managers
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and practice
• Detailed understanding of how to raise concerns and the barriers that can exist for those who Speak Up

Management and Leadership

Essential

• Commitment to creating an open and transparent organisational culture
• Ability to establish credibility across all professional groups
• Ability to be seen as impartial and independent
• Ability to provide honest, timely and values-based feedback to people at all levels of the Trust, irrespective of their position
• Effective management and leadership skills, with an understanding of how these skills need to be deployed in an organisation with complex governance arrangements
• Ability to work with a range of colleagues, especially those responsible for patient safety and staff experience, to ensure that lessons are learnt, themes identified and necessary changes made
• Ability to work effectively and be comfortable with achieving through influence and leadership
• Ability to design, facilitate and evaluate training packages for a range of audiences
• Commitment to team working and breaking down traditional barriers which affect the raising of concerns

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).