Birmingham Hospitals must 'start a new chapter' when it comes to their culture, says health watchdog

The health and social care champion that oversees University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust (UBH) says that there needs to be a 'new chapter' when it comes to culture there.

An independent review published yesterday into culture across the hospitals was highly critical, saying that it was a climate where "adverse working conditions had been normalised."

Healthwatch Birmingham and Solihull say that they are concerned to see the findings, which include only 25% of staff feeling their work is valued by UHB as an employer, while 53% reported feeling bullied or harassed at work.

The watchdog says these "would be shocking statistics in any workplace but especially so in an organisation where staff culture can have a direct impact on people’s lives.

"Most disturbing from Healthwatch’s perspective is the finding that only 16% of staff feel confident that the Trust will act if they raise concerns, considered alongside the results from UHB’s own survey of junior doctors at Queen Elizabeth Hospital which revealed that 48% of respondents did not feel they could raise concerns about inappropriate behaviour or bullying without fear of reprisal."

UBH has apologised and said it is committed to change.

This is something welcomed by Healthwatch, who say they have reiterated to the Trust that the focus must now be on delivering important culture changes both in the immediate and long-term.

They also say that "these reports need to be the start of a new chapter, not the end of the story for UHB.

"Healthwatch will continue to scrutinize and hold the Trust to the highest standards to make sure people in Birmingham and Solihull get the care they deserve.'

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