Ambulance services have been ordered to stamp out bullying and sexual harassment after a damning report into workplace culture was released.
The independent inquiry was commissioned by NHS England after the National Guardianship Office published a report last year showing that employees at the ambulance trust felt uncomfortable reporting misconduct.
The research, led by Siobhan Melia, chief executive of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, will uncover why “deeply concerning cultural issues” are affecting workers in England’s ambulance services, and find out which The aim is to make recommendations on how things can be improved.
Last year, Melia revealed findings similar to those by the NGO, which said staff “continue to face harassment, discrimination and bullying” and that when they try to report, they are met with “skepticism”. It is said that he will receive a “viewpoint”.
Her report also found that many trusts tended to prioritize work performance over making sure employees felt comfortable at work. One of her six key recommendations is that “operational performance is balanced with employee performance at all levels.”
The report states: “Due to staffing shortages and limited development opportunities, work outside of direct clinical care is seen as a luxury or rush.
“Nevertheless, there is a clear link between a positive organizational culture and improved patient outcomes. However, trusts often set aside training, professional development and research to We are focused on meeting response time standards for calls.”
The service was also found to have a pervasive “command and control” culture, characterized by strict hierarchies and strict adherence to rules.
“As the field changes to accommodate patient demands, there is growing recognition of the need for more adaptive management styles,” the report advises.
While there was agreement that staff safety should be prioritized when it comes to bullying and sexual harassment, the review found that the work pressures faced by staff can reinforce a ‘blame culture’ or focus on patients. It turns out that reports are delayed or ignored in order to make a difference.
The review also recommends that all ambulance staff receive sexual safety training and bystander training to ensure that incidents of sexual harassment are dealt with quickly and appropriately.
A further recommendation from this review is that more investment be made in supporting human resources and organizational development functions.
This includes recommendations for NHS England and trade unions to produce a joint statement on culture change and the ’empowerment’ of HR departments.
It also requires NHS England to develop a bespoke HR and OD plan to address cultural and employee relations challenges within the ambulance service, and a separate equality, diversity and inclusion policy. It also recommends that an improvement plan be developed.
Additionally, HR policies should be harmonized and more consistent across all services, creating a more effective ‘speak up culture’, one of the key issues identified by the National Guard Service last year. It adds that we need to build the right infrastructure to make it possible.
He added that learning from other sectors, such as fire and police departments, which have also grappled with workplace culture issues, could also be helpful.
Melia says: “My experience has shown me that the ambulance sector is different to other sectors in the wider NHS. This review therefore highlights that fact and reflects how local, regional and national NHS architecture It was an opportunity to consider how we could work differently with the Ambulance Trust and enable more cultural improvements.
“The focus on operational performance often overshadows the focus on people and culture, creating a disconnect between the two, but this is an opportunity for change. That’s why this recommendation , which includes action for all of us, not just the Ambulance Trust.”
Human Resources Today’s Employee Relations Opportunities
See more employee jobs