Nurses and Midwives Leading the Shift听
Cultural Intelligence was one of the key themes identified by the FNF nursing and midwifery community as part of research carried out to identify the skills and knowledge that future nurse and midwife leaders will require in the coming years.听 Nurses and midwives clearly see the need to improve their understanding and improve ways of working with peers and patients from different cultures. 听
These results stirred us to develop our new ‘Culture of Togetherness Programme’ a three-day, practical and reflective journey designed to strengthen psychological safety, deepen belonging, and build cultural intelligence across teams.
We created it because the NHS is changing: over听26% of the workforce is now from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, yet the data shows significant differences in experiences of inclusion and opportunity ().听 听If we want the workforce to thrive鈥攁nd patients to receive the safest, most compassionate care鈥攚e must learn to connect better regardless of cultural preference or accents.听听
FNF’s Leadership Development Facilitator, Peter Roxburgh, shares feedback and initial impacts of the inaugural Culture of Togetherness programme, with participants from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
Creating a Safe Space
At its heart, the Culture of Togetherness Programme is about creating听safe spaces for open, gracious, and sometimes vulnerable conversations.听This will听help staff truly see听each other, beyond the cultural assumptions and misunderstandings,听recognise听the beauty and complexity of working across cultures, and explore why these differences matter in real NHS teams.听
Over the three days, participants unpack what psychological safety looks and feels like, and why听it鈥檚听essential for speaking up, learning together, and challenging respectfully. They also explore power, privilege, belonging, and cultural grace鈥攖opics that often go unspoken but profoundly shape how听teams听function.听
Most importantly, people walk away with听practical tools, insights, and everyday actions听that help them connect more effectively across cultures, build trust, and approach colleagues with听compassionate curiosity.听听
Conversations and Connections
For this cohort, attendees came from diverse roles,听bands听and cultures, creating a microcosm of the NHS itself. Some knew each other well, while others met for the first time. The face-to-face format allowed for real conversation and connection, especially through activities like the听4H Conversations鈥擧eritage, Hurdles, Highlights, and Hope鈥攚hich encouraged participants to share parts of their story that rarely surface at work.听
Programme Sessions
Day 1 set the tone.听To break the听perception听that this was going to be a听heavy and serious three days, we started by doing a quick 鈥榓round the world鈥� quiz in groups. This听immediately听created laughter and piqued curiosity around cultures.听听We then听explored听practical ways to improve the 4 Stages of Psychological Safety (Dr. T Clark).听Some of the most powerful moments came听as听听participants听heard听colleagues say, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 speak up because I was afraid of听my听pronunciation鈥澨齩r 鈥淚n my culture we never challenge the manager because they are higher than us.鈥澨�听
Day 2 shifted the energy听into conversations about power, privilege, and belonging. These discussions were stretching in all the right ways. Participants unpacked the seven types of power, reflected on their own听privilege, and explored what belonging听feels like听in practice. One听attendee said, 鈥淚鈥檝e听never听felt discriminated against even though听3听of听my听10 identity factors are not within the dominant category.鈥� This raised听a great conversation听around the impact that听certain听identity markers have compared to others.听Even though this day was particularly heavy and challenging, what I so appreciated about the group was the amount of grace, vulnerability,听honest reflection,听compassion听and laughter there was.听听
Day 3 introduced the concept of cultural grace, the ability to navigate cultural differences with humility, curiosity, and compassion, and the ability to be gracious to those that 鈥榞et it wrong鈥�.听We researched key aspects of the听different cultures听that are represented within the Trust 鈥� learning about their foods, languages, customs, quirky听facts听and customs. We laughed as we talked about how听different cultural听dimensions impact behaviour,听mindset听and communication.听听
Making a Difference听
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.听
鈥淭his course was absolutely amazing! I have learnt so much and will definitely be using aspects I have learnt in both my professional and my personal life.鈥�
鈥淭he course has been incredibly useful and has given me a whole new lens through which to view relationships with colleagues.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e learnt to consider how this might land for the other person, and make adaptations if needed.鈥�
鈥淚 will definitely be having more curious conversations with other cultures.鈥�
Why This Matters for Nurses, Midwives, and Organisations听
Nurses and midwives consistently navigate high-pressure environments, emotionally charged situations, and culturally diverse peer and patient groups. When they feel psychologically safe, included, and culturally confident, care improves鈥攏ot only in technical quality but in compassion, collaboration, and patient experience.
Commissioner Feedback
“It was a wonderful opportunity to have colleagues from the 黑料视频 join us at UHP to deliver the Culture of Togetherness Programme… I knew this would be of enormous value to our staff at University Hospitals Plymouth. Our Trust Board has signed up to the NHS England Safe Learning Environment Charter, which illustrates 10 pillars all related to psychological safety, wrapped by two golden threads: Patient Safety and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.听 The Culture of Togetherness programme covers psychological safety, power and belonging and cultural intelligence, all topics critical to building inclusive, safe and compassionate care based on collaborative working in safe learning environments.听 Thank you to Peter and the FNF Team.”
Timothy Murray – Deputy Head of Education
Department of Professional Healthcare Education
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Find out more
Find out more about the Culture of Togetherness leadership programme here.
