Department consults on Francis recommendations to improve whistleblowing across the NHS

Over the next three months, the Department of Health is seeking views from the public on how it proposes to take forward the recommendations set out in Sir Robert Francis QC’s Freedom to Speak Up review, which published last month.

The independent review set out ways for organisations and individuals to create a more open and honest reporting culture across the NHS. While we know that some services report on people’s concerns as a matter of routine, sadly this is not happening all of the time, which means that vital information about patient safety is being missed.

The review set out a clear need for change, which we support.

Within the review, there is a recommendation for a new role of National Independent Officer to be created, who amongst other duties, would be responsible for reviewing the handling of concerns raised by NHS workers against best practice, and support ‘freedom to speak up guardians’ who would be based within every NHS trust in England.

Part of the Department of Health’s consultation now considers whether this national role should be based within CQC.

If it is, we would create the role within CQC in the same way that the review recommends every NHS trust to appoint its guardians, so that we can model what services are expected to do. We would also discuss how to take this forward with our partners, including Monitor, the NHS Trust Development Authority and NHS England.

Full details about the Department of Health’s consultation are available on its website. We look forward to contributing to it.

Did you know?

In 2013/14, we were contacted 9,473 times by people ‘blowing the whistle’ about their care concerns; up from 8,634 times in 2012/13.

Anyone can get in contact with us; click here to find out how.