Demographics Report iMatter Survey 2025

Raising Concerns

Two additional questions were first included in the 2023 questionnaire covering how staff feel about raising concerns:

• I am confident that I can safely raise concerns about issues in my workplace
• I am confident that my concerns will be followed up and responded to

These questions are not included within the EEI calculation of the Staff Governance Strand Scores.

The questions were not compulsory within the questionnaire, however each year since their introduction 98% of staff completing the iMatter questionnaire have answered them.

The overall scores show staff to be more confident about safely raising concerns (79) than they are about concerns being followed up and responded to (73). This pattern is quite consistent across all demographic groups.

Across staff groupings the lowest scores for both measures are in among Ambulance Service staff (69 and 60). This is also the largest gap between the two scores. Senior Managers in NHS Scotland and Local Authorities score highest for both measures, along with Strategic Development which also scores highly. Local Authority Senior Managers have the smallest gap between the two scores (3 points).

Across the demographic groups, the patterns are often consistent with other workplace experiences measures:

• Females score 1 point higher for both measures (80 and 74) than males (79 and 73).
• The same pattern as overall experience is seen across age groups for the two raising concerns measures with those under 25 and over 64 years the most positive.
• Those who self-describe their sexual orientation score lowest at 73 for confidence raising concerns and 66 for confidence that concerns will be followed up, a gap of 7 between the two scores.
• Staff who are trans or have a trans history score lower than those who are not trans.
• Those with disabilities score lower. It is staff with mental health issues that score lowest, in particular those with developmental disorders who score 73 for confidence to raise concerns and 67 for confidence that concerns will be followed up and responded to.
• Asian and African ethnic groups are the most confident to raise concerns and African ethnic groups the most confident that concerns will be followed up on. Caribbean and Black ethnic groups are the least confident in raising concerns and mixed or multiple ethnic groups the least confident that concerns will be followed up on.
• Scores are quite consistent across most religious groups, with Jewish and Pagan the two that are lower with scores of 76 and 74 respectively for confidence in raising concerns and 71 and 66 for confidence that concerns will be followed up on.