Colleagues can sometimes find it difficult to speak up about issues. They may not know who to speak up to, or may feel that their issue will not be taken seriously and nothing will be done as a result. This month is National Speak Up Month, and we're putting on listen and learn surgeries and other events to help raise awareness amongst colleagues.

It is important to break down barriers and remove obstacles that prevent or dissuade workers from speaking up. And by speaking up, colleagues will help the Trust to make changes.

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians like our own Nikki Hosty have been in post in all NHS and Foundation trusts in England for some time, and more and more are taking up posts in primary care and other healthcare settings.

Dr Henrietta Hughes, National Guardian for the NHS, said, “It’s so important that when workers want to speak up that they can do this in a supportive environment. Thanking staff and listening and acting on the issues raised allows organisations to improve more successfully. Speaking up can really make difference.”

October is Speak Up Month and NHS organisations throughout England will be making a special effort to raise awareness of speaking up and their willingness to listen to workers.

Here at CHFT we are hosting a number of events to coincide with Speak up Month. They include: Confidential listen and learn surgeries around the Trust, when Nikki will be on-hand in a safe environment so colleagues can talk to her about their concerns. There will also be a visit from the National Guardian's Office, and we'll be holding another Freedom to Speak Up information stand so colleagues can find out more. 

Here's what's happening and when:

• Friday 11th October, 11am – 2pm, Confidential listen & Learn surgery, Hub A, Sub basement, HRI (near Spice of Life restaurant)
• Monday 14th October – Listen & Learn/Freedom to Speak up stall, Noticeboards, Sub basement (nr Spice of Life), HRI
• Friday 18th October – the National Guardian's Office are visiting CHFT to see how we're embedding Freedom to Speak Up 
• Monday 21st October – 11am – 2pm, Confidential listen & Learn surgery, Library room, CRH
• Tuesday 22nd October - Listen & Learn/Freedom to Speak up stall, CRH Restaurant

If you can’t get to any of the above or would like to talk in confidence or raise a concern, you can contact one of our 26 Freedom to Speak up Ambassadors or raise your concern directly. Either way, the information can be found on our intranet here.

You can also log concerns away from work via the CHFT Website (see the Working for Us section)

Or you might want to speak directly to the Freedom to Speak up Guardian, Nikki Hosty (Nicola.hosty@cht.nhs.uk)  07795 497362 

All concerns are treated in confidence and we would like to see improvements being made in the Trust due to these concerns being raised.

You can keep track of what is going on via the Twitter hashtag #speakuptome