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ANALYSIS: Deborah Bowman Students whose behaviour causes concern: Ethical perspective BMJ 2008; 337: a2882 [Full text]

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Remove the taboo of whistleblowing

David G Samuel   (26 January 2009)

Remove the taboo of whistleblowing 26 January 2009
David G Samuel, F1 doctor medicine Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil. CF47 9TD Send response to journal: Re: Remove the taboo of whistleblowing	As an F1 doctor I can sympathise with the plight of these students. During my time as Chair of the BMA Students Welfare committee we heard numerous examples of students reporting they were unsure how to report inapropriate behaviour of colleagues or peers. The committee worked effortlessly at producing a guidance note on whistleblowing issues for medical students which is available from the BMA website. Electives are an exciting opportunity but also ones fraught with hazards. Not only can your professional career be put at risk by pushing the boundaries but those of patients, often more vulnerable that those we encounter in our daily lives. I feel that the case also highlights how assessments have now become something of a tick box excercise where students see the process of being "signed off" as a burden rather than a part of their education. Similar incidents happen on clinical attachements where students try to be signed off by the consultant at the earliest opportunity to gain extra "SDL" time. I feel that issues relating to reporting unprofessional behaviour should be a far more openly discussed issue within trusts. Whistleblowing prociedures should be distributed to new employees and a talk given during induction, far more worthwhile than the endless IT talks normally given. In addition, at our trust we have a junior doctor "pastoral mentor" who is an ear and voice for junior doctors and someone we can turn to in time of need or concern. Having this in place nationwide would ease the burden or reporting concerns and a similar protocal should be in place for ALL students at every university where a dedicated person is available to visit in confidence should they have issues to report. Only by removing the stigma and taboo of being a "snitch" will the medical profession redress the issue of unprofessional conduct going unchallenged and even worse, accepted. Competing interests: None declared