Freedom to speak up: whistleblowing policy for the NHS
A national integrated whistleblowing policy that will help standardise the way NHS organisations should support staff who raise concerns.
Recommended by Sir Robert Francis in his Freedom to Speak Up review,
this policy contributes to the need to develop a more open and
supportive culture that encourages staff to raise any issues of patient
care quality or safety.
Our policy will ensure:
Our policy will ensure:
- NHS organisations encourage staff to speak up and set out the steps they will take to get to the bottom of any concerns
- organisations will each appoint their own whistleblowing guardian, an independent and impartial source of advice to staff at any stage of raising a concern
- any concerns not resolved quickly through line managers are investigated
- investigations will be evidence-based and led by someone suitably independent in the organisation, producing a report which focuses on learning lessons and improving care
- whistleblowers will be kept informed of the investigation’s progress
- high level findings are provided to the organisation’s board and the policy will be annually reviewed and improved
Read our external raising concerns (whistleblowing) policy that sets out how we consider information from people working in the NHS.
Related content
Consultation on the whistleblowing policy for the NHS
Sets out a proposed single national whistleblowing policy for all NHS organisations in England except for primary care providers.