Cries unheard - nurses still told not to raise concerns
Published: 25 April 2013
Around a quarter (24 per cent) of nurses have been discouraged or warned off raising concerns about patient care, in spite of the high profile Inquiry into Mid Staffordshire hospital.
The Royal College of Nursing expressed concern about the “culture of fear and intimidation” in some workplaces as it published the results of a survey of 8262 nurses conducted by polling company ICM.
Out of those who have raised concerns, nearly half (46 per cent) had raised concerns about patients’ safety in the last six months, and nearly one in ten nurses (8 per cent) raised concerns in the last week. Nearly half (48 per cent) of the concerns raised were about staffing levels, and more than one in five (21 per cent) were about patient safety.
Worryingly, just under half (45 per cent) of those who raised concerns said their employer took no action. Around the same number (44 per cent) said worries about victimisation or reprisals would make them think twice about whistle blowing
About a third (32 per cent) said they didn’t know whether their organisation had a whistle blowing policy. Of those whose organisation did have a whistle blowing policy (65 per cent), over a third (37 per cent) were not aware that there is legal protection for all employees who raise concerns.
Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN, speaking at the organisation’s annual Congress said: “These responses illustrate that despite the recent attention which has been drawn to the importance of whistle blowing, many nurses are still experiencing a culture of fear and intimidation if they try to speak out. This is putting patient safety at risk.
“One of the key lessons from the Francis report was that frontline staff must feel confident that they can raise concerns about patient safety without fear of reprisals.
“Nursing staff want to provide excellent care, but sometimes the systems they work in do not allow this. Staff know what is safe for their patients and what is not. However, they cannot raise concerns if they feel unsure about what their employer’s policy is or what the repercussions will be.
“In particular, nurses have told us about occasions when they have been bullied, ostracised or belittled when they have tried to raise concerns on behalf of their patients. The stakes are simply too high for this to be allowed to continue. Trusts which don’t encourage an open culture from the very top will only continue to make mistakes, sometimes with devastating consequences.”
A nurse who took part in the survey told us: “There was a culture of intimidation and it seemed normal to humiliate members of staff in front of their colleagues, this led to high staff turn over and low morale.”
Another explained what happened when she raised concerns about unsafe staffing levels: “I put in an incident form highlighting these concerns. I was lambasted by my manager for putting in an incident form as it would lead to them being questioned by their manager.”
Since 2009, the RCN has called for all health care organisations to hold a register of staff concerns that must be reported to their Board regularly. The RCN runs a dedicated whistle blowing hotline for its members and has also recently updated guidance on raising concerns.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
1. RCN members can call 0345 772 6300 if they have serious or immediate concerns about patient safety in their workplace, which local processes are unable to resolve.
2. For further information, please contact the RCN Media Office on 02076473633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media
3. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nursing staff and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.