Changing the face of whistleblowing

doi:10.1136/bmj.b2090

Published 27 May 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2090
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2090

Editorials

Changing the face of whistleblowing

Statutory protection, support from regulatory bodies and a culturechange are required

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A decade after the scandal at Bristol Royal Infirmary¹ whistleblowingis still hazardous to whistleblowers. A whistleblower is a personwho informs on another or makes public disclosure of corruptionor wrongdoing. Margaret Haywood was struck off by the Nursingand Midwifery Council (NMC) after exposing poor standards ofcare at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.²At the same time, prominent individuals have complained thatwhistleblowing was inadequate at Mid-Staffordshire NHS FoundationTrust,³ which has been widely reported in terms of hundredsof unnecessary deaths.⁴ What is the problem?

Most patients would surely expect doctors generally to protectthem from potential harm; doing so has been a key part of medicalethics for centuries. The General Medical Council (GMC) stipulatesa professional ethical duty to raise concerns.⁵ Doctors andother healthcare staff owe their patients a duty of care. Failureto protect patients from harm may breach this . . . [Full text of this article]

Peter Gooderham, associate tutor

¹ Cardiff Law School, Cardiff CF10 3AT

GooderhamEP@Cardiff.ac.uk

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This article has been cited by other articles:

(2009). What Happens to Whistle-Blowers in 2009?. Journal Watch Cardiology 2009: 4-4 [Full text]
Cassidy, J. (2009). Name and shame. BMJ 339: b2693-b2693 [Full text]
Wilmshurst, P. T (2009). Sitting leaders ask you to stand up for safety. BMJ 339: b2816-b2816 [Full text]
Manning, C. L (2009). Whistleblowing is crucial for a "world class" NHS. BMJ 338: b2514-b2514 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Nurturing a Whistleblowing NHS: Amit Patel
bmj.com, 29 May 2009 [Full text]
changing the face of whistleblowing: Brian P Dromey
bmj.com, 29 May 2009 [Full text]
D�j�-vu all over again?: David C Harding
bmj.com, 29 May 2009 [Full text]
Whistleblowing: Christopher L. Manning
bmj.com, 3 Jun 2009 [Full text]
Motiviations for and against whistle blowing: Sarah C Rennie
bmj.com, 3 Jun 2009 [Full text]
Change in standards: Joan McClusky
bmj.com, 3 Jun 2009 [Full text]
Clinical accountability in the NHS? Whistle for it.: William G Pickering.
bmj.com, 6 Jun 2009 [Full text]
Re: Change in standards: Umesh Prabhu
bmj.com, 6 Jun 2009 [Full text]
"To Be Or Not To Be A Whistle Blower": Kadiiyali M Srivatsa
bmj.com, 19 Sep 2009 [Full text]
Whistle blowing is injurious to health: Jayaprakash S Gosalakkal
bmj.com, 20 Sep 2009 [Full text]