Freedom To Speak Up
LSTM wants to instil an open culture of speaking up about concerns in order to improve the safety, security and well-being of our research participants, patients and other people who come into contact with us, as well as that of our staff, students and other representatives. A positive speak up culture will allow us to understand our risks and take action on them to improve. We actively encourage staff, students and other representatives to report any issues of concern so that they can be investigated and dealt with quickly and appropriately.
LSTM want all staff, students and other representatives to feel able to speak up when they have concerns about:
- The protection, safety and well-being of any individuals or groups, (including concerns about your own safety and well-being)
- Partner organisations with whom we work
We encourage you to raise any concerns you have with your manager or personal tutor in the first instance; however, if you do not feel comfortable doing so please use the freedom to speak up platform. This reporting platform is completely confidential, we will not be able to identify the reporter unless you choose to give us your contact details.
Staff and students can raise concerns via the Freedom to Speak Up Platform on the intranet about:
Safeguarding:
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Protection of a vulnerable child
- Protection of a vulnerable adult (including vulnerable beneficiaries, staff and students)
- Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) of vulnerable beneficiaries
- Modern slavery
Staff conduct, behaviour and wellbeing:
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Bullying & Harassment
- Sexual Harassment
- Racial harassment/racism
- Discrimination
- Diversity and Equality of Opportunity
- The Prevent Agenda (concerns related to terrorism and extremism in staff)
- Hate Crime against staff
Student conduct, behaviour and wellbeing
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Student health and wellbeing
- Bullying & harassment
- Sexual harassment
- Racial harassment/racism
- Discrimination
- The Prevent agenda – (concerns related to terrorism and extremism in students)
- Hate crime against students
Data Protection Concerns
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Potential breaches e.g. loss of hardware, data sent to wrong person
- Ideas for how data protection could be improved e.g. procedural changes, training needs
- Poor practices that endanger rights to privacy and data protection, e.g. ease of access, excessive data capture
Research Integrity
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Laboratory research
- Research involving human subjects (inc. clinical and social science research)
- Secondary/Desk research, e.g. systematic reviews
- Matters relating to publication
- Evaluation of a researcher or research outputs contravening the DORA Principles
In order to investigate matters thoroughly and be able to feedback, staff and students are encouraged to identify themselves when raising concerns or reporting safeguarding incidents, however you can report anonymously.