Speak Up Week 2025
‘Creating a culture of safety: ‘The case for speaking up in clinical practice’
Speak Up Week – A Clinical Perspective, from GEMs Chair Dr Sneh Banik
I’m a Consultant Physician at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and also a Foundation Programme Director and named Educational Supervisor for foundation doctors.
In stroke medicine, our mantra is “time is brain”. We work in a hyper-acute environment where every second counts—and speaking up is not just encouraged, it’s essential; patient safety depends on it.
I have the privilege to witness how powerful it can be when colleagues from a multidisciplinary team feel safe raising concerns. In Acute Stroke Medicine, we actively encourage resident doctors to literally knock on our doors—whether it’s a clinical uncertainty or a cultural discomfort.
I am proud that my trainees feel confident to raise concerns. On one occasion, a patient was prescribed a higher dose of insulin than intended. A trainee noticed, spoke up, and the error was corrected immediately—preventing serious harm.
On another occasion, a resident doctor expressed discomfort when a patient’s non-English name was mispronounced during a meeting, prompting laughter. By raising this, I had the opportunity to generate further discussions on microaggressions and cultural civility within the department.
Even small acts of speaking up can have big impacts. During the Covid pandemic, a porter noticed an empty sanitizer station and raised the alarm. That simple intervention helped protect staff and patients.
As NHSG EDI Champion, I believe that speaking up only works when we also have the skills and attitude of listening up; taking concerns seriously, acting on them, and making sure people feel safe, seen, and heard.
It’s my dream to work in an organization where we have a culture of leading without a title—where anyone, no matter their role, can make a difference. I intentionally keep my mobile number at the bottom of my emails so colleagues can reach out directly if something urgent comes up.
This Speak Up Week, let’s remember: when we speak up and listen up, we make our care safer, fairer, and kinder.
Dr Sneh Banik, Consultant Stroke Physician and EDI Champion, NHS Grampian
Foundation Programme Director, North Region of Scotland Deanery