When Even the NHS Feels Unsafe: The Real Fix for Workplace Psychological Safety

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-06

### The NHS Paradox: Where Psychological Safety Should Thrive If you work in healthcare, you know the feeling. You're supposed to be the one providing comfort and safety to patients. But behind the scenes, the very people who care for others often don't feel safe themselves. That's the paradox Buki Mosaku, a workplace bias expert, recently highlighted when he asked: if the NHS can't be a place of psychological safety for staff, where can? It's a fair question. The NHS is one of the most trusted institutions in the UK. If it struggles to create a safe emotional environment for its own employees, what hope do other organizations have? But Mosaku isn't just pointing out the problem. He's offering a way forward. ### What Psychological Safety Really Means Psychological safety isn't about being nice. It's about being able to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and challenge the status quo without fear of retribution. In healthcare, that's not just a nice-to-have. It's a matter of life and death. When staff don't feel safe, errors go unreported, burnout skyrockets, and patient care suffers. So what's missing? According to Mosaku, it's three things: trust, cultural competency, and practical bias-navigation skills. ### Trust: The Foundation That's Often Missing Trust doesn't come from a poster on the wall. It comes from consistent behavior. Leaders need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. That means admitting when they're wrong, listening more than they speak, and showing up for their teams in meaningful ways. But trust is a two-way street. Staff also need to trust each other. And that's where cultural competency comes in. ### Cultural Competency: More Than Just Diversity Training Cultural competency isn't about checking boxes. It's about understanding how different backgrounds, identities, and experiences shape the way people show up at work. It's about recognizing that two people can experience the same workplace completely differently. In the NHS, where staff come from over 200 nationalities, this isn't optional. It's essential. But cultural competency alone isn't enough. You also need the skills to navigate bias when it shows up. ### Bias-Navigation: The Skill Nobody Taught You Bias is human. We all have it. The problem isn't that bias exists; it's that we don't know how to handle it when it does. Mosaku argues that staff need practical tools to recognize bias, call it out constructively, and move forward together. That means moving beyond blame and shame. It means creating space for honest conversations. And it means giving people the language and confidence to address bias without fear. > "Psychological safety isn't a luxury. It's a prerequisite for high-quality care," Mosaku says. "And it starts with trust, cultural competency, and bias-navigation skills." ### What This Means for Your Organization You don't have to work in the NHS to see the relevance. Every workplace faces these challenges. The question is: are you willing to do the work? Start by building trust. Invest in cultural competency. Teach bias-navigation skills. And remember that psychological safety isn't a one-time fix. It's a daily practice. If the NHS can become a place of psychological safety, so can your workplace. But it won't happen by accident. It takes intention, effort, and a commitment to doing better. So, where can psychological safety thrive? It can start with you.