We must listen to whistleblowers – Simon Stevens
NHS England’s Chief Executive Simon Stevens today responded to the Francis report on whistleblowing.
In the report entitled ‘Freedom To Speak Up?’ Sir Robert Francis QC, who led the inquiry into Mid-Staffordshire, recommends:
- A “Freedom to Speak Up Guardian” to be appointed in every NHS trust to support staff, particularly junior members.
- A national independent officer to help guardians when cases are going wrong.
- A new support scheme to help NHS staff who have found themselves out of a job as a result of raising concerns.
- Processes established at all trusts to make sure concerns are heard and investigated properly
Simon Stevens responded, saying: “As a nation we can rightly be proud of the fact that NHS care is now the safest it has ever been. But as I’ve sat down and listened hard to whistleblowers over the past year, it’s blindingly obvious that the NHS has been missing a huge opportunity to learn and improve the care we offer to patients and the way we treat our staff.
“These important proposals – particularly for a new national office of the whistleblower – will provide clear new safeguards and signal a decisive change in culture in every part of the health service.”
3 comments
As a junior doctor who blew the whistle on massive and repeated patient safety issues in two departments,I know from personal experience the aftermath . Unfortunately, the two consultants also happen to be responsible for progression and despite an unblemished clinical record, a concerted effort, (including blatant lying which can be independently verified) , is being made to penalize me and block progress. I am not alone, it seems in paying a very high price for trying to improve appalling patient safety transgressions.
Until, there is an independent oversight , outside of the hospitals concerned , this travesty will go on to the detriment of both patients and staff.
I have now cancelled my registration, and feel relieved that I no longer have to witness poor standards of care, constant cover up by managers when complaints are made by patients and relatives, and I no longer have to challenge poor practice and incompetence by some of my nursing colleagues. For some of them, the truth is no longer an issue.
I trained at the right time in 1972, when nursing was a vocation, and we had hands on experience whilst being trained. I say “bring back the old fashioned matron”. Nurses need someone who is competent, skilled and not afraid to challenge her nurses, and that means acting in the patient’s best interest at all times. I have retired with my dignity and integrity intact. That is everything to me.
It NHS policy to abide by your E-Roster.
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I reported for work as my E-Roster stated.
I was then told off by my boss as the paper copy was different the E-Roster.
My boss is the one who gives staff there E-Roster and the one who writes the paper copies that staff use. So this person is clearly at fault.
Yet my boss seams to think it is my fault and wants to tell me off.
I think that my boss is clearly a bully and is just doing this make me look bad
and make sure they look like a good person.
My boss is at fault, so why should I be told off by them for abiding by NHS policy.
I have a good mind to speak to my Union about this.