Speaking up or blowing the whistle for better, safer care

Russell Mannion*, Huw Davies, John Blenkinsopp, Jean V. McHale, Ross Millar, Martin Powell, Nick Snowden

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

In modern healthcare systems, not all care is as good or as safe as it could be and there is growing evidence to suggest about one in ten patients admitted to hospital may be harmed as a result of their admission. This chapter draws on some recent work funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research to explore the ways in which front-line voices are heard or silenced in the English NHS. It explores various aspects of whistleblowing and the organisational actions seen in response. The chapter presents the policy background and the legal protections afforded to whistleblowers and concludes that there is much more yet to be done if front-line staff are to be given an effective voice. Recent legal developments concerning whistleblowing in the NHS can be seen as deriving from the case of Grahame Pink, a nurse at Stockport General Infirmary who blew the whistle about poor patient care at the hospital in the late 1980s.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGlobal Patient Safety
Subtitle of host publicationLaw, Policy and Practice
EditorsJohn Tingle, Clayton Ó Néill, Morgan Shimwell
Place of PublicationAbingdon, Oxon
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Chapter5
Pages58-76
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9781351683456, 9781315167596
ISBN (Print)9781138052789
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Aug 2018

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