23.04.13
An assumption too far?
The RCN’s annual conference has highlighted further worrying statistics, this time the number of nurses who are unaware of whistleblowing policies in their organisation, or who have been actively warned not to raise concerns, or left unheard if they tried.
This is worrying because the NHS has been aware of these issues for some time, most notably since the Francis inquiry.
The driving force of greater transparency is that it would lead to a recognition of some of the key failings in the health system, so that these could be resolved and improved.
Is there a danger that the health service has assumed whistleblowers are free to raise concerns throughout the NHS? Going too far to reassure the public, or government, that everything is fine could be undermining this very principle.
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