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Guide to whistleblowing

in social care

Social workers have a duty of care to service users, their colleagues and the public, and the professional codes of practice require them to raise any concerns they may have about the quality of care provided.

"Whistleblowing is when someone who works in or for an organisation raises a concern about malpractice, risk (for example to patient safety), wrongdoing or illegality."

Care Quality Commission

First steps

Make a note of what has happened and who you have spoken to in written form, be it in an email to your manager summarising the main points or notes from a meeting. It helps if other people back up what you're saying, but be careful; don’t assume that when it comes to putting pen to paper or appearing as a witness that they will do that. Get a written statement.

Collect evidence in the form of emails, notes in your diary and other documents. Wherever possible, refer back to the policies, procedures and good practice guidelines that are being breached.

If you have exhausted all of the internal options...

Remember: whistleblowing can be a lengthy process, but you have a duty to protect service users, colleagues and members of the public from harm

Unison members can seek advice from their union representative

Communicating your concerns

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http://www.unison.org.uk/

Talk to your line manager

It may be important further down the whistleblowing process to show you tried to use internal systems to address the problem first. It also gives the organisation an opportunity to respond to your concerns. If you can't talk to your line manager, try asking a trusted colleague for their opinion.

Go to the relevant regulator

Consult your

whistleblowing policy

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Contact a regulator such as the Care Quality Commission, Ofsted or one of the UK's four social work regulators

Go to the media

Go to your MP

Under the Public Interest Disclosure act, media disclosures may be protected, but most people advise that it should be a last resort. Seek advice from a professional body, trade union or Public Concern at Work first.

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For more information

Protecting your identity

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What is

whistleblowing?

Some say it is only whistleblowing when you raise a concern outside the organisation you work for, but Public Concern at Work says the law recognises it as whistleblowing when you raise any genuine belief with your line manager about risks to service users, the staff, public or your employer.

Public Concern at Work

http://www.pcaw.org.uk/

Care Quality Commission's guide to whistleblowing

http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/20120117_whistleblowing_quick_guide_final_0.pdf

Ofsted's whistleblowing hotline

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/contact-us/whistleblower-hotline

Community Care Inform's line manager briefing on whistleblowing

Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act, an employee can raise a concern with their employer or a regulator. The whistleblower does not need to prove they’re right; as long as they are reporting their concerns in good faith.

http://www.ccinform.co.uk/articles/2010/02/10/6169/line+manager+briefing+on+whistleblowing.html

NHS whistleblowing hotline

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/23/contents

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2011/12/whistleblowing-helpline

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