A report asserts that a third of employees at a Bristol NHS trust do not feel "safe" speaking out about risky behaviors or problems like racism.
And only half of those people have faith that University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust (UHBW) would take action if they did.
The Bristol Children's Hospital and Bristol Royal Infirmary are managed by the trust.
Despite claiming that the report was "uncomfortable reading," it accepted its conclusions.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, managers have since vowed to alter the workplace's culture by paying closer attention to employees.
In a UHBW board meeting, it was revealed that the trust's annual Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) report revealed that employees who do voice their concerns are referred to as "troublemakers or agitators.".
This further undercuts the organization's FTSU campaign because it deters others from even bothering, according to information shared at the meeting.
According to LDRS, the results of the most recent NHS staff survey revealed a further decline in the proportion of participants who felt confident speaking up and receiving a favorable response from the trust.
Although the survey's findings put UHBW above the national average, it was stated that "it is not good enough".
"Staff were concerned about confidentiality, confrontation, and challenging difficult personalities," the report stated.
"Some comments suggested that speaking out might cause retaliation. ".
The whistleblowing scheme was used in 109 cases in 2022–2023, according to the report.
Six of them dealt with the safety of patients, ten with bullying or harassment, twenty with the safety or wellbeing of employees, and 27 with improper attitudes or behaviors.
A "sharp decline" in complaints about nepotism and unfairness, according to the report, was the result of efforts to improve recruitment procedures.
The "key message," according to FTSU guardian and director of corporate governance at UHBW Eric Sanders, is to show compassion and humanity to each individual.
The trust will be able to "compassionately respond to individuals when they raise concerns, and do things differently with that in mind," he said, as a result of this.
There are "aspects of the report that are incredibly uncomfortable to read," UHBW Chief Executive Eugine Yafele acknowledged. ".
We still have a ways to go in terms of culture, he said.
"We have a wonderful opportunity to stop doing what we've always done. ".
Jayne Mee, the chairwoman of the board, expressed her desire for the trust's members to "take self-ownership for solving problems and talking, listening, and really working things through" over the coming year.
