{"id":9831,"date":"2016-09-14T11:18:37","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T10:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=9831"},"modified":"2016-09-15T13:35:15","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T12:35:15","slug":"culture-of-fear-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=9831","title":{"rendered":"Culture of fear"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Amid rising patient complaints in the NHS \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the number now exceeds 4,000 a week \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Congress highlighted concern over legal action being taken against health staff.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While Congress recognised that only a minority of these complaints are upheld, the investigation of a complaint often concentrates on avoiding litigation rather than on any learning outcomes there may be from mistakes made.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a motion that was carried at conference yesterday (September 13), Congress called on the General Council to begin a discussion with interested parties on ending the ability of individuals to take legal action against healthcare professionals and replace it with a system that aims instead to improve patient safety.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite delegate Min Gunn spoke in support of the motion, both as a trade unionist and someone who has had to make a patient complaint.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAfter undergoing an operation I suffered nerve damage \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the delay in admitting that something had gone wrong meant a delay in getting the physiotherapy I needed,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI believe that my disability could have been avoided if staff had felt they could come forward and be open about what had happened,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Gunn told Congress.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bEveryone makes mistakes \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we are all human beings,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd I know from fellow trade unionists working in the NHS the stress staff are being put under.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnderfunding is taking the service close to breaking point with staff being asked to work long unpaid hours. This makes mistakes more likely to happen.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe culture is one of fear over one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s future and trying to do the best for patients and service users in extremely difficult circumstances,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Gunn argued. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWorkers are suppressed from raising their concerns.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTraining is becoming harder to come by as budgets are cut.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAll of this works against the working conditions that can prevent mistakes happening in the first place and works against a culture that is open and honest, and where mistakes are an opportunity to learn how to prevent similar occurrences.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gunn pointed to Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s factsheet, \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Saying Sorry\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, which helps members in the health sector raise these issues in the workplace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She urged Congress to support the motion in order to help prevent \u00e2\u20ac\u015bothers experiencing what I have gone through\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe all know that trade unions as an effective voice in the workplace for staff are a necessary part of this \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and a properly funded NHS.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n