RCN launches phone line to support whistleblowing nurses

Published: 11 May 2009

Raising concerns, raising standards

The RCN has launched a dedicated telephone line to allow RCN members to talk in confidence about serious and immediate worries that patient safety is being put at risk in their workplace. This information will be used to support the nurse to raise concerns and, if needed, the RCN will step in swiftly to investigate concerns directly with employers. RCN members can also report their concerns using a form on the RCN website: www.rcn.org.uk/raisingconcerns.

The telephone line and online form were launched at the same time as a survey of over 5000 RCN members showed that nearly two-thirds of nurses have raised concerns about patient safety with their employers and more than one in three of those say no action was taken.

Following the survey, and the recent case of RCN member Margaret Haywood who was struck off the nursing register after she exposed poor care, nurses have been in contact with the RCN to share their experiences of raising concerns in the workplace. The RCN is now calling for significant changes to the way that employers respond to staff concerns to ensure that nursing staff and other health care workers are properly protected when speaking out about risks to patient safety.

The RCN is calling for:

  • all health care organisations to hold a register of staff concerns that must be reported to their Board regularly 
  • all health care employers to immediately make a public pledge that gives a categorical commitment that staff will be protected from victimisation and reprisals if they speak out
  • employers to take urgent action to make sure that all employees are fully aware of whistleblowing policies and procedures.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter said:

"We've had laws protecting whistleblowers for ten years now however they're not worth the paper they're written on if they sit in a drawer and gather dust. If trusts want to avoid another Mid-Staffs, they need to make every nurse aware of the protection that the law gives them when they raise concerns about patient safety."

Further information

RCN members can now call 0845 7726 300 if they have serious or immediate concerns about patient safety in their workplace.

Go to the RCN's patient safety resource.

The RCN survey found:

  • 78% of respondents said they would be concerned about victimisation, personal reprisals or a negative effect on their career if they were to report concerns to their employers
  • 21% had been discouraged or told directly not to report concerns at their workplace
  • 46% felt confident their employer would protect them if they spoke up
  • 99% of registered nurses understood their professional responsibility to report worries about patient safety but fears about personal reprisals meant that only 43% would be confident to report concerns without thinking twice
  • 29% said their employers had taken immediate action to resolve the situation after concerns had been reported
  • 35% said no action was ever taken by employers after concerns had been reported
  • 45% didn't know if their employer had a whistleblowing policy.

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