Culture Champions

In January 2020, we launched a new Culture Champions initiative, which involves more than 20 staff working with Jacqueline Totterdell, our Chief Executive, to help create a working environment at St George’s that enables us to provide outstanding care, every time for our patients, and each other.

The latest NHS staff survey results, published in March 2020, show we have made real progress in recent years, with more staff recommending St George’s as a place to work, and to receive care.

For example, in 2019, 61% of our staff said they would recommend the Trust as a place to work, compared to 57% in 2018. In the most recent survey, 77% of our staff said that the care we provide for patients is the organisation’s top priority. This is an improvement on 73% in 2018, but it is clear that we will still have more to do to do if we truly want to provide outstanding care, every time.

Our new Culture Champions initiative is designed to help build on the improvements we’ve delivered in recent years; but also to help tackle the barriers that still exist in some areas, such as bullying and harassment, as well as equal opportunities for staff.

Why our Culture Champions got involved in the project

“I want to work in a happy place, where people get on. I love my job, but if people aren’t enjoying theirs, I want to do my bit to help.” – John Stammers, Orthopedic Consultant (pictured).

“I am really interested in organisational culture, and the relationship between staff and patients. Happy staff should mean happy patients – and this is what I want to try and support.” – Janice Adamson, Volunteer, Emergency Department.

“I really want to be part of the process of change – and making sure Queen Mary’s staff are involved in the process.” – Stency Kidega, Medico-legal, based at Queen Mary’s Hospital.

Jacqueline Totterdell, Chief Executive at St George’s, said: “This is so important to our future, and it is something that I’ve felt we’ve needed to do for some time.

“Many of our staff enjoy working here, but I also know some staff feel our organisational culture puts barriers in their way.

“I am pleased we have created a team of Culture Champions to help understand this better, so helping us deliver the changes we all want to see.”

For more information, email communications@stgeorges.nhs.uk