Lansley to stamp out ‘culture of fear’ within NHS

The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has said that whilst he believes the ‘culture of fear’ to be present in a few parts of the NHS, he is dedicated to stamping it out.

Lansley said that these pockets of fear in the health service could ‘deter staff from raising concerns about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing’ which could then lead to ‘poor patient care and low staff morale’.

He said: “The NHS Constitution must be brought up to date to enshrine the rights of staff.
“Staff should be working in an environment where they feel able to voice concerns and know that their concerns will be taken seriously. The changes we are consulting on take that a step further.