The Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Trust serves over 500,000 individuals across Bath and Northeast Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire. With over 6,500 staff, the Trust is a significant regional employer and healthcare provider.
Recognised as one of the top 20 NHS hospitals to work for nationally, RUH’s commitment to enhancing staff well-being and patient care underpins its strategic initiatives, including the launch of our innovative Report + Support™ system.
RUH’s commitment to staff
RUH has built a reputation for prioritising staff well-being and fostering an environment where all team members feel valued and secure. Their ‘You Matter’ strategy (2023–2028) outlines a vision of fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace. The strategy emphasises kindness, respect, and empowerment as core values, aiming to maximise staff potential and create optimal conditions for healthcare delivery.
NHS Staff Survey results 2023
Each year the NHS Staff Survey provides key insights into the wider NHS workforce regarding workplace safety and inclusivity, and for the first time in 2023, the NHS Staff survey included questions about unwanted sexual behaviour.
Across the NHS:
- 8.67% of staff reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour from patients, relatives or the public.
- 3.84% reported incidents involving colleagues.
- Only 51.80% of staff reported bullying, harassment or abuse incidents, whilst reporting rates for sexual harassment incidents remain unclear, emphasising the need for enhanced mechanisms.
Survey information relating to RHU found that:
- 68% of those surveyed (nearly 2,500 people) said they would recommend the RUH as a place to work, with 600 more people saying this than the previous year.
- The Trust is ranked 6th nationally for colleagues saying they have frequent opportunities to show initiative.
- The Trust is ranked 8th nationally for staff being kind and understanding towards each other.
Positive results for RUH, but room for improvement
Although the results from the Staff Survey were positive, combined with the RUH’s own EDI initiatives, it also highlighted further areas for improvement, revealing persistent challenges such as incidents of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. The survey also highlighted disparities in career progression and workplace experiences among different staff groups.
Whilst reporting rates had improved, significant gaps remained, with only 48% of staff reporting incidents of harassment or abuse (below the national average for reporting).
Challenges identified
- Workplace Safety and Inclusivity: Only 48% of staff reported incidents of harassment or abuse in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey, a statistic that, while improved, highlighted significant gaps in reporting culture.
- Mental and Physical Well-being: Burnout and stress were persistent concerns, with workforce capacity challenges further exacerbated by post-pandemic pressures.
- Consistency in Reporting Mechanisms: Staff feedback emphasised the need for simple, anonymous, and mobile-accessible reporting tools to encourage incident reporting and timely action.
These findings highlighted the need to provide a transparent, accessible, and effective mechanism for addressing unacceptable behaviours and prompted the Trust to implement Report + Support™, ensuring an accessible, anonymous reporting mechanism was available, and a commitment to launching targeted interventions to address systemic issues.
Implementing Report + Support™ at RHU
Launched in August 2024 as part of RUH’s Violence and Aggression Reduction Policy, Report + Support™ enables staff to report incidents of abuse, discrimination, and violence anonymously or with their name, in an online reporting platform that is available 24/7, ensuring voices are heard without fear of reprisal.
The Report + Support™ system is intended to provide increased psychological safety in reporting and dealing with concerns. Everything reported through Report + Support™ goes into the People Hub (unless the person requests it to go to the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian only). This enables the People Hub to support colleagues, primarily by empowering managers to take meaningful action at team and service level.
Read more here about how the RUH is using Freedom to Speak Up Guardians to roll out Report + Supporting, advancing EDI initiatives and improving staff well-being.
Key features include:
- Ease of Use: Accessible via mobile devices, requiring no login credentials.
- Anonymity Options: Protecting staff identities while still capturing critical data for preventive measures.
- Collaborative Development: Input from People Hub, the Culture Team, and other stakeholders ensured a comprehensive and user-focused design.
The rollout of the system included a phased approach:
Pre-launch Activities:
- Direct engagement with staff networks, union representatives, and senior leadership.
- Comprehensive training sessions for Divisional People Partners and other key stakeholders.
- Updates to intranet and communication channels.
Launch Week:
- Organisation-wide communication through emails, posters, and briefings.
- Virtual and face-to-face sessions to familiarise staff with the platform and its purpose.
Post-launch Monitoring:
- Regular review meetings every two months to assess uptake and effectiveness.
- Ongoing collaboration with governance teams to refine processes and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
Impact and Anticipated Benefits of Report + Support™
The introduction of Report + Support™ aligns with RUH’s broader objectives to:
- Enhance workplace culture by addressing unacceptable behaviours proactively.
- Empower staff through visible action and support mechanisms.
- Improve patient care by fostering a more engaged and satisfied workforce.
RUH recognises that a culture of safety and inclusion directly impacts patient care, making EDI initiatives integral to its strategic goals, and the launch of Report + Support™ represents a critical step in fulfilling its obligations under the Sexual Safety Charter, broadening its commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute their best.
By leveraging feedback and data from various channels to implement meaningful change, the Trust exemplifies its commitment to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and heard.
