NHS Staff Council reaches agreement on whistle-blowing

All staff working in the NHS have a contractual right and duty to report genuine concerns about malpractice, patient safety or other serious risks that they consider in the public interest, the NHS Staff Council has agreed.

Under the agreement:

• The contractual right and duty will be included in the NHS terms and conditions of service handbook
• NHS organisations must have local whistle-blowing policies in place that “emphasise that it is safe and acceptable for staff to raise concerns at work and set out clear arrangements for doing so”, and
• Local policies should be developed and signed off in partnership with local staff representatives. These policies should also be subject to review on a regular basis.

Greg Allen, employer side chair of the NHS Staff Council and Director of Human Resources & Workforce Development at NHS Devon, said NHS organisations must continue to take malpractice and wrongdoing seriously.

He added: “All staff should know that that they have a responsibility and obligation to their raise concerns responsibly without fear of discrimination or punishment. This agreement offers some straightforward and practical steps for local employers to promote and deliver a culture of openness."

Mike Jackson, Senior National Officer (Health) at Unison, insisted that putting effective whistle-blowing policies into hospitals would be a major step forward – “shining a light on malpractice and leading to better patient care”.

Jackson added: “We must create a climate where staff feel they are able to raise their concerns without the fear of reprisals. It is now down to local trusts and unions to put policies in place and make sure they work.”