
The School of Clinical Medicine wants all our staff, students and affiliates to thrive. To do this, we need to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive and equitable environment for education, research, and engagement that embraces diversity and treats all people with dignity and respect and recognises the value of each individual. We strive to ensure that people feel safe to bring their 'authentic selves' to work and that we treat each other with kindness and respect.
Healthcare environments can be high stress and high stakes, but research shows that incorporating the values of inclusivity, diversity, and equity benefits staff, students, and patients alike.
"Psychological safety means an absence of interpersonal fear. When psychological safety is present, people are able to speak up with work-relevant content."
Amy Edmonson
This means, creating a safe environment in which people can express their thoughts and ideas.
Some practical tips for promoting psychological safety:
In the School of Clinical Medicine, we have zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct. The FMH has developed guidelines to support staff and students who experience incidents of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct within UNSW Medicine &Health. They should be read in conjunction with UNSW policies and procedures: Code of Conduct, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy, as well as any procedures related to external organisations.
The following are definitions taken from existing UNSW policies:
Wellbeing deserves a special mention. The mental and physical health of medical students and doctors in Australia is of particular concern within the healthcare community. Research and media reports have highlighted the high rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, substance use and self-medication throughout the profession. Attention to the points raised above will help with wellbeing, but staff and students also need to articulate any problems that they are having and reach out for help, without any embarrassment or fear of repercussions. The following sites provide helpful resources.