Raising Concerns at Work:: Whistleblowing Guidance for Workers and Employers in Health and Social Care

Health and Social care services exist to promote the health, wellbeing and dignity of patients and service users and the people who deliver these services want to do the best for those they serve. However, there will be occasions when wrongdoing occurs in the workplace. This is why encouraging workers to raise concerns openly as part of normal day-to-day practice is an important part of improving the quality of service user support and patient safety. When concerns are raised at an early stage, corrective action can be put in place to ensure high quality and compassionate care based on individual human rights.

The importance of raising concerns at work in the public interest (or “whistleblowing”) is recognised by employers, workers, trade union and the general public. Working in partnership with Trade Unions, staff associations and employee representatives is an important part of ensuring fairness and promoting awareness of the policies, procedures and support mechanisms which a good employer will have in place.

We would like to acknowledge the contribution and input towards this guidance made by key stakeholders. There are too many for us to thank individually, but they include Trade Unions, employers’ associations, campaigning groups, regulators, professional bodies and whistleblowers themselves. The contents of this Guidance have been endorsed by the Social Partnership Forum and the Social Care Institute for Excellence.