Job summary
We are looking for an exceptional Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Guardian to work alongside our Lead FTSU Guardian to ensure our colleagues voices are heard, listened to and responded to.
The Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role has been developed in support of the requirements in the Sir Robert Francis Speak Up Report to enable staff at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAngliaFT) to have a dedicated 'go to' role for when staff need to speak up and when other avenues are not suitable.
This is a great opportunity for a motivated, driven and enthusiastic individual who has a passion for supporting staff to speak up. The Guardian role helps to protect patient safety and quality of care, improves the working lives of our colleagues and promotes learning and improvement.
Main duties of the job
This post holder will operate independently, impartially and objectively alongside the Lead Freedom to Speak Up Guardian to support transparency and actively engage and enable all staff to speak up.
They will offer confidential support and advice to individuals raising issues or concerns of any nature, which may include highly complex and sensitive information. Building rapport will be key to ensuring that the person raising concerns is provided with regular updates, investigations are progressed, and recommendations are implemented. The post holder will also be responsible for escalation of issues as appropriate and challenging areas of ongoing concern.
The post holder will support and contribute to the regional and national FTSU Guardian networks, comply with National Guardian Office guidance.
As a highly visible individual, the postholder will spend the majority of their time with 'front line' staff, providing expertise in fostering a psychologically safe culture which supports and encourages staff to speak up about anything which gets in the way of doing a great job, whether that be a concern or idea for improvement in ways of working or behaviour.
The FTSU Guardian will work alongside the FTSU Champions, advising onmanagement of cases, supporting their role and developing training specific to theirneeds.
About us
We are dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusivity within our workforce and warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, with a particular emphasis on encouraging those from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, as well as candidates from our local area.
As part of our commitment to supporting our employees we offer a range of benefits including:
- Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days and increasing to 29 days after five years of service and 33 days after 10 years of service, in addition to the national Bank Holidays (pro-rata for part time staff);
- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme:
- Flexible working opportunities;
- Enhanced hourly rates for unsociable hours e.g. night shifts, weekends, bank holidays;
- Opportunities for career development and training to help you progress in your role;
- Wellbeing support and activities to promote a healthy work environment;
- Access to our in-house physiotherapy service;
- On-site canteens offering subsidised meals;
- Subsidised staff parking (currently free);
- Free Stagecoach Bus Travel to and from work within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
We strive to create a supportive and inclusive workplace where employees feel valued and empowered to excel in their roles. Join us and become part of a team dedicated to making a positive difference in our community.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification for more information regarding this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification for more information regarding this role.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Leadership qualification
- Coaching and/or mediation qualification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of managing complex concerns and issues in a management, clinical or professional role
- Experience of working in a complex organisation
- Highly developed in dealing with and speaking up in difficult situations with a track record of supporting and listening to staff
- Experience of facilitating conversations between staff and managers
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of providing mediation in complex and emotive situations
- Experienced in establishing what went wrong to extract learning opportunities
- Experience of working in the NHS
Knowledge
Essential
- Aware of and understands Trust policies as well as local and national NHS initiatives
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Freedom to Speak Up issues and implications
- Knowledge of safeguarding principles and practice
- Knowledge and understanding of the principles of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act
- Ability to develop reputation and networks with pace, honesty and authenticity
Skills
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication including influencing and negotiating skills
- Is able to share difficult messages in a relevant manner
- Ability to turn 'speak up' scenarios into learning opportunities
- Able to develop written/podcast/verbal presentations and material to support learning and training
- Able to maintain confidentiality
- Able to show and demonstrate an empathetic approach
- The ability to remain non-judgemental when presented with information and to be seen as impartial and independent
- Able to build trust and rapport with pace and authenticity
- Highly developed negotiating and influencing skills with the ability to overcome barriers to understanding to achieve acceptance and agreement
- Commitment to creating an open and transparent organisational culture and breaking down traditional barriers which affect the raising of concerns
- Ability to provide honest, timely and values-based feedback to people at all levels of the Trust, irrespective of their position
- Ability to design, facilitate and evaluate training packages for a range of audiences
- Ability to analyse and interpret both data and situations
- Ability to set boundaries, be concise, synthesise and present information
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work on their own initiative, prioritise and work to tight deadlines
- Resilient and adaptive to changing pace and priorities for work and delivery
- Able to meet in a variety of venues on and off campus and able to work unsocial hours, if required
- Able to use phone for periods of time
- Good IT skills using MS Office
Other
Essential
- Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
- Ability to manage exposure to distressing and emotive situations and disclosures
- Be responsive and resilient and calm under pressure
- Commitment to achieving objectives of Freedom to Speak Up with strong motivation to work within the field
- Confident and able to inspire confidence in others
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated, flexible and creative
- Able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust Values and Behaviours
- Be prepared to work across sites as and when required
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Leadership qualification
- Coaching and/or mediation qualification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of managing complex concerns and issues in a management, clinical or professional role
- Experience of working in a complex organisation
- Highly developed in dealing with and speaking up in difficult situations with a track record of supporting and listening to staff
- Experience of facilitating conversations between staff and managers
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of providing mediation in complex and emotive situations
- Experienced in establishing what went wrong to extract learning opportunities
- Experience of working in the NHS
Knowledge
Essential
- Aware of and understands Trust policies as well as local and national NHS initiatives
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Freedom to Speak Up issues and implications
- Knowledge of safeguarding principles and practice
- Knowledge and understanding of the principles of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act
- Ability to develop reputation and networks with pace, honesty and authenticity
Skills
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication including influencing and negotiating skills
- Is able to share difficult messages in a relevant manner
- Ability to turn 'speak up' scenarios into learning opportunities
- Able to develop written/podcast/verbal presentations and material to support learning and training
- Able to maintain confidentiality
- Able to show and demonstrate an empathetic approach
- The ability to remain non-judgemental when presented with information and to be seen as impartial and independent
- Able to build trust and rapport with pace and authenticity
- Highly developed negotiating and influencing skills with the ability to overcome barriers to understanding to achieve acceptance and agreement
- Commitment to creating an open and transparent organisational culture and breaking down traditional barriers which affect the raising of concerns
- Ability to provide honest, timely and values-based feedback to people at all levels of the Trust, irrespective of their position
- Ability to design, facilitate and evaluate training packages for a range of audiences
- Ability to analyse and interpret both data and situations
- Ability to set boundaries, be concise, synthesise and present information
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work on their own initiative, prioritise and work to tight deadlines
- Resilient and adaptive to changing pace and priorities for work and delivery
- Able to meet in a variety of venues on and off campus and able to work unsocial hours, if required
- Able to use phone for periods of time
- Good IT skills using MS Office
Other
Essential
- Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
- Ability to manage exposure to distressing and emotive situations and disclosures
- Be responsive and resilient and calm under pressure
- Commitment to achieving objectives of Freedom to Speak Up with strong motivation to work within the field
- Confident and able to inspire confidence in others
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated, flexible and creative
- Able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust Values and Behaviours
- Be prepared to work across sites as and when required
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
