Whistleblowing - Raising Concerns about Healthcare in Wales

What you need to know if you want to report concerns at work

What is whistleblowing?

 

Whistleblowing is the term used when someone who works in or for an organisation wishes to raise concerns about malpractice, wrongdoing, illegality or risk in the organisation. These concerns can affect patients, the public, other staff, or the organisation itself.

Whistleblowing applies to raising a concern within the organisation as well as externally, such as to a regulator like HIW. 

 

If you are a healthcare worker and you want to raise a concern

From time to time, you may have concerns about something happening where you work which might affect patients, your colleagues, or the whole organisation. Doing something about these concerns isn’t always easy.

HIW has a special role for people who are thinking about “blowing the whistle” about concerns they have about wrongdoing in healthcare in Wales.  HIW are a “prescribed body” under the whistleblowing laws, so employees, former employees, temporary agency staff or contractors who bring us concerns about their employer’s activities can have some protection for their employment rights.  

All health care professionals must follow their professional code of conduct and we would always recommend that you raise your concern within your organisation first. However, if you feel unable to do this, or have already gone through this route, we will listen to your concern and explain to you how we can help. We may need to pass on the information you give us to another organisation or regulatory body if it is more appropriate for them to look into the concern. 

If you disclose information to us, your disclosure is “protected” if you have made it honestly, you believe it is substantially true and you have a reasonable belief that it is about the provision of healthcare in Wales.

Can I give information anonymously?

Usually, the best way to raise a concern is to do so openly. Openness makes it easier for us to understand the issues and get more information. 

Of course, we recognise that there may be circumstances when you would like us to keep your identity confidential. We will not disclose your identity without your consent unless there are legal constraints or obligations that require us to do otherwise (for example where your evidence suggests that a child or vulnerable adult is at risk or that a serious criminal offence has been committed) or if we are required to do so by a court. We will let you know if we have to do this and that this will identify you to another body. 

Remember, even though we protect your identity, others may guess who has contacted us from the nature of the information you have provided. 

You can raise a concern anonymously if you do not want to give your name at all. If this happens, we will not be able to contact you to discuss your concern, to get more information, or to update you on any action we take.

What will HIW do with the information I give?

Whistleblowing concerns are handled by our concerns team. We will listen to your concern and explain how we can help.

We will choose one of the approaches available to us to follow up on the information you disclose. These include: 

  • Writing to the healthcare organisation to request a formal response to the issues raised 
  • Logging your concerns as part of our overall intelligence picture of the place where you work so that they can be considered the next time we visit 
  • Notifying another organisation or regulatory body about the information you gave us if it is more appropriate for them to look into the concern 
  • Carrying out an inspection or a review 
  • Following safeguarding procedures if the information is about possible harm or abuse of a child or adult at risk.

We will let you know what we plan to do and any feedback about the action we take (unless we do not know who you are because you came to us anonymously).

How do I contact HIW?

You can contact HIW by telephone 0300 062 8163 or by email hiw@gov.wales 

Alternatively, you can write to us at:

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales 

Rhydycar Business Park 

Merthyr Tydfil 

CF48 1UZ

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