Partha Kar: If you won’t speak up, how will the world know you exist? (BMJ, 12 September 2023)

Summary

In this opinion piece for the BMJ, Partha Kar, NHS England National Specialty Advisor for Diabetes, shares his observations on why leaders fail to speak out on things that clearly aren't good for patient care. He identifies five key reasons:

1. Keeping the job
2. Fear
3. Rhetoric about 'the bigger picture'
4. The idea that 'I'll be rewarded'
5. Genuine belief that the issue isn't real

Partha highlights that speaking up about issues needs to become the norm if we are to see a culture shift in healthcare. Leaders need to be at the forefront of this, using their privilege to bring about change.