It’s Freedom to Speak Up Month and we’d like to introduce you to Lillian, one of our new FTSU Guardians.
We now have 10 FTSU Guardians who are there to help our people to speak up or raise a concern they might have that could affect patient care or the working environment. It opens another channel for our people to speak up if they don’t feel comfortable using a traditional route.
Lillian is a Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Derby Urgent Treatment Centre, here’s what she told us about her journey to becoming one of our FTSU Guardians…
“I know how important this role is…”
“I’ve been in healthcare ever since I worked in a care home as an admin assistant and volunteered to help in the care of patients on my day off. It inspired me to do my Nursing and Midwifery degree whilst working as a Healthcare Assistant, qualifying in 2014 and working in a hospital Emergency Department. In a busy ED there are always concerns but it’s not always easy to know how or where to turn and not having that route can lead to dissatisfaction, so I know how important this role is.
“I worked in a prison at one point and became a FTSU Guardian there. The idea of providing a different way for someone to voice an opinion or talk about a concern they might have, being a voice of change on behalf of others was something I believed in and still do, which is why I wanted to take on that responsibility again.
“I’ve been at Derby UTC since March 2023 and with DHU since they took over the running of services in June 2024 and for me, my FTSU and clinical roles are all about compassionate care, communication and resilience. Whether it’s our patients or my colleagues, I want to be there for others. It doesn’t matter if it’s giving care or being a voice, it all contributes to making things better for the service we provide and the care we give patients.
“An environment where people feel comfortable speaking up…”
“Whether people want to speak to me anonymously, in confidence or work with me to make a positive change, not everyone feels empowered or has the courage to speak up. At DHU we now have 10 FTSU Guardians and a further 18 Champions, all working together to create and maintain an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up.
“I’m here for all of our people and will do everything I can to ensure DHU’s Freedom to Speak Up programme becomes an example of good practice in helping to create a workplace where everyone matters and can make a difference.”