Andrea Hetherington pic.jpg

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is committed to achieving the highest possible standards of quality, honesty, openness and accountability in all its practices. The Trust is also committed to developing a culture where it is safe and acceptable for all employees and colleagues to raise concerns which are dealt with seriously and confidentially.

We have evidence to suggest that we are doing this well, but that said, we can always do more!

I am sure that you are aware of the terrible events which happened at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, where basic failings resulted in multiple patient deaths. These tragedies are thankfully rare but exposed deep problems within both of those organisations

The Department of Health asked Sir Robert Francis to investigate the Mid Staffs scandal and responded to his report ‘Learning not Blaming’, published in July 2015.

In this report, the department accepted a number of recommendations including that there should be a Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Guardian in every NHS Trust and NHS Foundation Trust to act in a genuinely independent capacity to provide the leadership and support in order to create a culture where colleagues understand and feel confident in raising concerns.

Here at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, that’s a role that I have taken on.

Supporting information together with details of our about our Freedom to Speak up Ambassadors who work with me to support our work in developing an open and supportive culture will be added to this page shortly.

 In the meantime, if you would like to contact me my details are:

Email: andrea.hetherington1@nhs.net 

Tel: (71 if ringing from South Tyneside) 42168

Andrea Hetherington
Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and Ambassadors - Poster

Please download, print and display this poster within staff-only areas within your wards, offices and departments.

Meet our freedom to speak up guardian and ambassadors

Freedom to Speak Up Leaflet

A staff leaflet providing information on Freedom to Speak Up is available to download below.  Two print options are available:

  1. Standard A4 print
  2. A4 trifold print - this needs to be printed double-sided and the binding location changed within the printer properties to 'short edge'

 

National Guardian's Office

 

More information on Freedom to Speak Up can be found on the National Guardian's website.

Meet Your Freedom to Speak Up Ambassadors

Pat Bealing - Chaplain

Pat has worked in the NHS for over 30 years and as hospital Chaplain at South Tyneside she has supported, and continues to support, many patients and their families.  In her additional role as Freedom to Speak Up Ambassador she is there for staff who feel they are unable to speak up within their own teams or departments.  She is extremely well known in the district hospital and is a familiar and friendly face so if you do need to speak up, please don’t hesitate to contact her.

 

Email:  patricia.bealing@nhs.net 

Kerry Conroy - Risk Manager

Kerry has worked in the NHS for 25 years since leaving university, first in community health development tackling health inequalities in depriving communities in North Tyneside, before moving into risk management within the primary care setting.  Wanting to expand her experience of risk management into the acute healthcare setting she joined the Trust in 2012.  Within STSFT she is the lead in Sunderland for clinical and non-clinical litigation cases brought against the Trust.  She believes it is very important that staff feel they have a number of ways they can raise their concerns and can choose the method that suis them.  She is proud to have been asked to be a Freedom to Speak Up Ambassador and tries to fulfil the role to the best of her ability.

 

Email:  kerry.conroy1@nhs.net 

Lindsey Downey - Patient Flow Coordinator/Night Matron

Lindsey is a Patient Flow Manager and Night Matron.  She believes that to deliver exceptional care, staff need to be treated exceptionally and listened to.  She appreciates the challenges facing staff who work hard to deliver excellent care to our patients and their families.  Lindsey has been a registered nurse for 18 years, with a background in acute medicine, education and training and practice development.  Lindsey is also a staff governor (clinical acute class).

Email:  lindsey.downey@nhs.net

Catherine Fisher - Head of Library Services

Catherine joined the Trust in 2001 and since that time there have been many changes as the organisation became a Foundation Trust, survived Agenda For Change and especially for libraries took on the challenge of the new medical school curriculum and the Wear Base Unit concept.

 

She has been involved with the Freedom to Speak Up agenda since it began and is passionate about providing a voice for colleagues with concerns and helping to make the organisation a safe and supportive place to work.

 

Email:  catherine.fisther9@nhs.net 

Bev Frankland - Risk and Inquest Manager

 

Bev is the Trust's Risk and Inquest Manager.  In this post she deals with high level investigations whilst also supporting staff.  She is regularly committed to ensuring there is an open and transparent culture and that appropriate and effective support is in place to help facilitate change.  As well as being a Freedom to Speak Up Ambassador, she is a staff governor (non-clinical class).

Email:  b.frankland@nhs.net

Kay Hodgson - Risk Manager

Having worked for the NHS for over 15 years, Kay has held various roles with the fields of HR, project management, risk management and latterly in Assurance.  Her  current role as Assurance Manager involves operational management of the Datix risk management system, production of the quality and assurance reports, and supporting the preparation for CQC inspections.  She is passionate about the NHS and keeping our patients, staff and visitors safe and would encourage anyone that has a concern to #speakuptome.

Email: kay.hodgson@nhs.net 

 

 

 

Mark Tull - Safe Care Lead (Central Sector)

Mark began work in the NHS 31 years ago as a student nurse and as the Trust’s Safe Care Lead he has a dual role as a clinician and a Mental Health Team Manager.   He believes that any successful health organisation must ensure that it has the welfare of not only the community it serves but also the staff it employs.  His is passionate that staff wellbeing and in particular mental wellbeing are high on the agenda of the organisation.  As well being a Freedom to Speak Up Ambassador, Mark is also a staff governor (clinical community class).

Email:  mark.tull@nhs.net 

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