NHS whistle blowers to be given protection and support

NHS healthcare professionals who blow the whistle will be protected under new rules announced by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today.

Whistleblowers, officially known as ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’, will be supported by changes made to the NHS Constitution in early 2012.

The changes will support staff who raise concerns about safety or malpractice and will also make it the duty of all NHS workers to report bad practice or mistreatment of patients receiving care.

Andrew Lansley said: “The first lines of defence against bad practice are the doctors and nurses doing their best to care for patients. They need to know that they have a responsibility to their patients to raise concerns if they see risks to patient safety. And when they do, they should be reassured that the Government stands full square behind them.”