Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Editorials

Changing the face of whistleblowing

BMJ 2009; 338 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2090 (Published 27 May 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2090

Rapid Response:

Change in standards

The practice of punishing whistleblowers is as common in the US as in
the
UK.
And perhaps part of the problem is in how whistleblowers are viewed
against
the larger practices and institutions of a society.

The most minimal kind of analysis or introspection demonstrates how
ludicrous
it is to punish someone for exposing dangerous or illegal activities,
particularly
in healthcare. And who on Earth could defend such behavior?

Yet the delusion continues to guide practice when it is incorporated
into
"instutional practices" or "protecting the organization or profession."

An institution that fosters and promotes fear regarding exposure of
harm is
an institution that needs to be rethought from the bottom up.
Whistleblowing
should be renamed and rethought of as part of professional standards and
standards of good citizenship. And not exposing harm should be what
people are afraid of.

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

03 June 2009
Joan McClusky
Medical writer
New York, NY 10003