UK introduces far reaching law to protect whistleblowers

doi:10.1136/bmj.319.7201.7

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Clare Dyer, legal correspondent

A new law to protect UK employees who blow the whistle on wrongdoing or malpractice at work came into force this week. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, described by US campaigners as “the most far reaching whistleblower law in the world,” comes in the wake of the Bristol heart surgery case and other medical tragedies.

Introduced as a private member's bill by the Conservative MP Richard Shepherd, the legislation owes much to the work of the Freedom of Information Campaign and the charity Public Concern at Work, which offers free legal advice to employees concerned about serious malpractice.

The Labour government has enthusiastically …