Behaviour Charter

This Charter is applicable while in our care, on our premises, when communicating with us, or about us, in person, by telephone, email or social media. We expect all service users, patients, visitors and contractors to comply with it.

Acceptable Behaviour

The positive environment that we aspire to will stem from appropriate behaviour including:

• Kindness towards staff, other patients and people on our premises
• Respectful behaviour towards those with protected characteristics
• Keeping a calm voice and behaviour when engaging with staff and others, particularly where there are sick, vulnerable and young patients present or close by
• Allowing staff to explain a process or procedure to you to help you stay informed
• Understanding that, despite our best efforts and plans, emergency situations will always occur and these must be prioritised as part of our duty of care to all patients
• Listening to staff without undue interruption
• Recognising the emotional impact certain behaviour can have on staff and others
• Respecting that staff have a right to feel safe at work
• Respecting the personal space of staff and not engaging in unwanted physical contact
• Constructive conversations and feedback when communicating with staff and others
• Using considerate language when communicating with staff
• Refraining from swearing, using a threatening tone or language
• Being conscious of your body language and how this can be perceived by others
• Removing yourself from a situation if you feel frustrated or angry
• Taking responsibility for your own actions
• Following reasonable instructions to support your care
• Following appropriate channels for engagement if you have a concern
• Displaying good manners
• Showing respect and care for our environment and premises
• Supervising children and supporting vulnerable people

Unacceptable Behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour may be an isolated incident, or form a pattern of behaviour over time. While this is not an exhaustive list, we consider the following behaviour unacceptable:

• Verbal abuse, inappropriate use of tone, shouting or screaming and offensive language
• Threatened or actual assault of any person(s)
• Behaviour that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, coercive or offensive environment
• Causing distress, fear or psychological harm to any person(s)
• Discrimination in relation to a protected characteristic
• Behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating the recipient’s dignity
• Sexually explicit comments or sexual harassment or abuse
• Taking, storing or sharing of photographic, video or sound recordings whilst on NHS premises; including personal identifiable information
• Abusive, threatening or harassing contact by telephone, email, or via social media
• Persistent and unreasonable criticism of staff, repeated demands from staff within an unreasonable timescale or behaviour that impacts our ability to carry out our functions
• Insisting on speaking to a particular member of staff having been advised it is not possible or appropriate
• Non-cooperation with procedures e.g., infection control requirements, visiting limitations
• Supplying patients with alcohol or non-prescribed drugs or smoking, drinking alcohol or taking non-prescribed drugs on NHS premises
• Damage to NHS premises / property or equipment or unauthorised access
• Theft of NHS, patient or staff property
• Stalking of NHS staff, other patients or visitors in or out of work
• Publishing, circulating or displaying offensive material
• Refusing to accept a reasonable explanation, contacting different people in the same organisation to try to secure a different outcome

Some of the above behaviours may be a criminal offence. The Trust or affected staff member(s) may report such behaviour to the police or other authorities as appropriate with a view to a prosecution. An internal investigation may still take place whether or not the police decide to proceed.