Speaking up safely toolkit launched to support students with raising concerns

Published 15 August 2024

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) has launched a new resource to help learners, students and non-medical trainees feel comfortable, confident and supported in raising concerns.

The digital toolkit has been created to support and encourage leaners to feel safe and able to speak up and raise concerns during their practice or work-based learning experiences.

Raising concerns is a key part of ensuring a safe working environment, staff wellbeing and high-quality services for patients.

The toolkit includes in-depth information and extensive guidance around what constitutes a concern, how to raise a concern and the importance of feeling safe to do so.

The resource supports the Welsh Government’s ‘Speaking Up Safely’ framework, which emphasises the importance of creating a culture within healthcare organisations where "Speaking up, alongside timely and appropriate response to any concerns raised, is supported within a safe environment".

Director of Education Strategy and Transformation at HEIW, Ian Mathieson, said:

“Raising a concern is not an easy thing to do and it is important that all members of the healthcare team, including students, feel comfortable and safe to speak up when necessary.

“As you undertake education and training to become a registered healthcare professional, you will have many dynamic and transformative learning experiences, and these experiences will be tremendously rich and rewarding. 

“However, you may also witness events or encounters that constitute unsafe practice or unacceptable behaviour. We want to ensure you feel safe, supported and able to speak up and this toolkit will help provide assurances over the process and support that is available.”

Head of Placement Experience and Improvement at HEIW, Simon Cassidy, said:

“Our toolkit is designed to help you, as well as those supporting your practice or training, to reflect on what you may have witnessed, make sense of your thoughts and feelings and decide if a concern needs to be escalated. The resource also advices on how to best prepare for next steps when it comes to raising a concern and speaking up safely."

For more information and to access the toolkit, visit our Raising Concerns Reflective Toolkit webpage.