Active Bystander Training and Development Programme

What is Active Bystander and why is it important?

We all want to work in a place where we feel we belong, feel heard and we can be our best selves.

Active Bystander provides an opportunity to change culture through using safe and constructive challenge and by empowering people to become Active Bystanders who will seek to take an early intervention approach to unwanted behaviour.

Active Bystanders will:

• seek to first understand then identify harmful behaviours
• carefully intervene to de-escalate situations
• act with positive regard for others
• role model civil and respectful behaviours aligned to equality, diversity and inclusion
• effect positive change

It is this approach that will contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of our staff and patients, and people who draw on our support, to grow a culture of inclusivity, civility and respect.

Please watch this short clip (click here), produced by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care System (LLR ICS), to find out more.

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Which organisations from across the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire system have signed up to Active Bystander and who is the system working in partnership with across the region?

To date, Nottingham University Hospital, Notts Healthcare, Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Nottingham CityCare, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals as well as the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB are all signed up to deliver Active Bystander across our system.

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire system are also working in partnership with organisations across the Midlands region and in close association with Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care System (LLR ICS), to establish Active Bystander locally.

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What does the Active Bystander Training and Development Programme aim to do?

This is a uniquely innovative development programme that has real potential to make a significant difference to participating organisations.

As an overview the programme aims to:

• Establish a pro-active system cultural approach to address harmful behaviours
• Promote a compassionate and inclusive leadership culture
• Adopt an early intervention approach which can prevent negative behaviours from escalating, which can further facilitate learning
• Enhance the health and wellbeing of our staff, patients and service users

At the heart of this programme is the creation of a sense of belonging where everyone feels included, valued and respected.

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How is the Active Bystander Training and Development Programme being rolled out?

This is currently being rolled out across the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire system with some NHS organisations as frontrunners.

Whilst overall the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire system partners are working in collaboration each individual organisation will initially focus on training and developing employees in their own organisation.  Therefore, each organisation will have its own timetable for rollout.

If you would like to know who your organisational contact is for active bystander, please email the OD inbox (nnicb-nn.od@nhs.net) at the ICB.

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Who can get involved in Active Bystander?

The Active Bystander Training and Development Programme is free for all and so everyone will get involved in some way.

Over time, there will be numerous Active Bystanders Champions per organisation who are trained to intervene early in unwanted behaviours through using safe and constructive challenge.  This will ensure the programme’s spread and success.

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What are the Component Parts of the Active Bystander Training and Development Programme?

Executive and Line Management Training Sessions
These sessions will develop Executive and line management understanding of the Active Bystander Programme.

Active Bystander Awareness
These are 90-minute awareness sessions that will help attendees to understand the active bystander concept. Anyone can attend an awareness session.

Active Bystander Champion Training
Champions will attend a 1-day face-to-face training session plus attendance at up to 5 x 90 minute virtual action learning sets. The training is accompanied by a handbook that will support the Champion’s learning journey. Read the Active Bystander Champion Information and Role Description. Employees who want to be a Champion should contact their organisational lead for Active Bystander.

Train the Trainer (Facilitator Training)
This is a 2-day training programme that trains Facilitators to deliver Active Bystander Champion Training and awareness sessions. Employees who want to be a Facilitator should contact their organisational lead for Active Bystander.

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System Active Bystander Lead Contact

If you have any questions in relation to this programme please contact Juile Fellows, OD Manager at the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB (Julie.fellows2@nhs.net).