People providing an NHS service may identify risks of harm or wrongdoing, such as malpractice, patient safety issues or regulatory breaches, and wish to speak up about them. This is whistleblowing, which may be defined as someone within an organisation raising concerns about a risk of harm or wrongdoing in the public interest.

There are increased protections for anyone delivering NHS services who raise concerns as a 'whistleblower'.

The National Whistleblowing Standards were implemented on 1 April 2021, to support and protect NHS Scotland staff who raise concerns such as malpractice, patient safety or regulatory breaches.

A whistleblowing concern is different to a grievance in that, a grievance is typically a personal complaint about an individual's own employment situation (for example bullying, harassment, discrimination) which is not made in the public interest.

Whereas, a whistleblowing concern is usually raised by an individual who is usually a witness and may have no direct personal involvement in the concern they are raising, but are concerned about the impact on patients or safe working practices.

The routine feedback on the quality of training experience that the Deanery gathers from its doctors in training should not be confused with whistleblowing. Feedback is routinely gathered via surveys such as the GMC NTS, the Scottish Training Survey, the Pre-Visit Questionnaire, the notification of concern process or through meetings with trainees during Deanery Quality Management Visits.

Further guidance on the difference between whistleblowing and a grievance can be found in "The difference between a grievance and a concern" section of the National Whistleblowing Standards.

If you are worried that something wrong or dangerous is happening at work, please don’t keep it to yourself. Unless you tell us about any concerns you may have about patient or staff safety risks, or other wrongdoing, the chances are we won’t find out until it’s too late.

Please see below for steps to take if you feel that something wrong or dangerous is happening at work:

1. We hope that you will feel able to tell your manager.

2. If for whatever reason you are uneasy about this or your manager’s response doesn’t seem right, you can contact the NES Confidential Contacts:

   • Karen Wilson, Karen.Wilson@nhs.scot
   • Graham Paxton, Graham.Paxton@nhs.scot
   • Pamela Renwick, Pamela.Renwick@nhs.scot
   • Lindsay Donaldson, Lindsay.Donaldson3@nhs.scot
3. If you want confidential advice first, you can talk to your local trade union representative, or contact the Protect-advice charity. You may also call the SPSO confidential advice and information service on Freephone 0800 008 6112 or via email INWO@spso.gov.scot. Further information is available at The Scottish Government website.

Please see here for the National Whistleblowing Standards. 

As some of you may be nervous about raising such matters, here are some tips:

• Raise it when it’s a concern – we won’t ask you to prove it;
• Keep it in perspective – there may be an innocent explanation;
• It will help us if you can say how you think things can be put right;
• Stay calm – you’re doing the right thing; and
• If for whatever reason you are worried about raising it with your manager, please follow the escalation guidance

Details of whistleblowing policies and processes and confidential contacts for each of the placement boards can be found here.

If you want confidential advice first, you can talk to your local trade union representative, or contact the Protect-advice charity. You may also call the SPSO confidential advice and information service on Freephone 0800 008 6112 or via email INWO@spso.gov.scot. Further information is available at The Scottish Government website.

We hope that you will feel able to tell your line manager or Training Programme Director in the first instance.

If, for whatever reason, you are uneasy about this, or your manager's response doesn't seem right, please contact one of the Confidential Contacts:

•           Karen Wilson, Karen.Wilson@nhs.scot

•           Graham Paxton, Graham.Paxton@nhs.scot

•           Pamela Renwick, Pamela.Renwick@nhs.scot

•           Lindsay Donaldson, Lindsay.Donaldson3@nhs.scot

Alternatively, you can contact one of the Post Graduate Deans to discuss any concerns;

If you want to talk to them in confidence, just say so. If you prefer to put it in writing, that’s fine but please tell them who you are.

If you want confidential advice first, you can talk to your local trade union representative, or contact the Protect-advice charity. You may also call the SPSO confidential advice and information service on Freephone 0800 008 6112 or via email INWO@spso.gov.scot. Further information is available at The Scottish Government website.

The SPSO confidential advice and information service can be reached on Freephone 0800 008 6112 or contact INWO@spso.gov.scot.

There are recommended training modules on whistleblowing on Turas Learn.