The House of Commons Select Committee on Health and Social Care is examining the relationship between leadership in the NHS and performance/productivity as well as patient safety.
Prof Joy Warmington, brap CEO and Middlesex University Visiting Professor of Education, and Roger Kline, Research Fellow in the University’s Business School, submitted written evidence to the review arguing:
Incivility and patient care and safety are intimately linked.
Black and minoritized ethnic (BME) staff are particularly vulnerable to incivility and discrimination.
A range of evidence shows BME staff are less likely to raise concerns, less likely to be listened to and more likely to be victimised if they do so
Research consistently shows two main reasons why people do not raise concerns are, first, a belief that if they do the matter would not be rectified; and second, a fear of retaliation
NHS boards must develop greater curiosity about the behaviours of staff, and be less concerned with reputation management
A culture of openness can be cultivated by tackling the fear that makes (BME) staff reluctant to speak up and by being proactive and preventative rather than waiting for individual staff to raise concerns
You can read the full submission on the Committee website here.
Here's a quick summary:
What is the link between incivility, bullying, and patient safety?
Why are BME staff deterred from raising concerns?
What should be done?
Full references are available in the complete submission. You can view the submission here or download a pdf below.