NHS managers who prevent whistleblowers speaking out may lose their job or be banned from working for the health service.
According to new proposals announced this week by the government, managers who silence concerns will be held responsible and banned in serious cases of misconduct.
The changes were announced by Wes Streeting as part of the government’s efforts to “get the NHS back up and running”.
Tomorrow (26 November 2024) a public consultation will launch to gather views on plans to regulate NHS bosses to ensure that they adhere to professional standards.
The Department of Health and Social Care also consults on whether or not to implement a professional duty of honesty for managers and hold them accountable for patient safety concerns.
Karin Smyth said, “To turn our NHS around, we need the brightest and best managing it, a culture that is transparent and keeps patients safe and an end to revolving doors that allow failed managers to take up a job in another NHS organisation.”
She said that as part of the 10-year plan to improve health care, the Secretary of State has promised reform of the NHS. The service will reward success and take decisive action on failure.
Smyth continued: “Today’s announcement builds on this promise and helps us build a healthcare system that protects the patients and is ready for the future.”
The consultation includes options such as a voluntary registration, a full statutory register and statutory banning mechanisms.
The department will then review the responses and determine next steps.
Amanda Pritchard welcomed the consultation. She stated: “It’s right that NHS managers are held to the same standards of accountability as other NHS staff, but that must be accompanied by the support and development that will enable them to achieve the high quality standards we expect.”
She said that several initiatives were already in place to support NHS managers. These included a new code of conduct, an induction process, and a set of professional standards.
Rachel Power, CEO of the Patients’ Association, stated: “Patients often tell us that accountability, transparency, and healthcare are lacking. We encourage anyone who has received NHS care to share their experiences, particularly those who felt they were not heard by the system. We will encourage patients to participate in this consultation, as a genuine partnership with the patients creates a safer healthcare system.”
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