Psychological safety is a critical, and increasingly recognised, topic in medicine. It refers to the belief that it’s safe to speak up, express concerns or disagreements, ask questions, or discuss uncertainty or mistakes—without fear of punishment, ridicule, or humiliation. In the diverse, fluid teams that are central to healthcare, this belief is essential for effective collaboration.

Psychological safety doesn’t happen by chance. It’s fostered through intentional leadership actions that aim to:

• Acknowledge the complexity of the work and the need for strong collaboration.
• Emphasise that everyone’s input matters. Diverse teams achieve exceptional outcomes when all members feel safe to contribute to discussions, decisions, and tasks.
• Recognise that in complex and uncertain work, things can go wrong. Part of working effectively is talking openly about mistakes to manage risk and find alternative solutions.

What does this look, and sound like in practice?

In a psychologically safe environment, you’ll notice certain behaviours that signal healthy teamwork:

• Team members actively contribute to discussions, giving updates, reports, and check-ins.
• Questions are not only welcomed but actively encouraged by the team leader.
• When someone speaks, others listen attentively and respond thoughtfully.

These actions—open communication, information flow, and genuine interaction—are hallmarks of effective collaboration.

Listen for contributions like these:

From a leader:

• “What do you think?”
• “Does anyone have any questions?”
• “Anna, I haven’t heard from you yet—any thoughts? Concerns?”
• “Is there another option we should consider?”
• “I’m making a quick decision now—any final concerns we should address?”

From a team member:

• “This doesn’t feel right—can someone check it with me?”
• “I think these notes are off—could you take a look?”
• “I believe I’ve made a mistake. I wanted to flag it right away.”
• “I’m dealing with some issues—could we talk later?”

In 2025, we’ll be launching a new CPD offering on How to Create Psychological Safety in Your Team—tailored for doctors in leadership roles and team members alike. Watch this space for more details!