The NHS is one of the largest healthcare systems in the world, which means that often, wrongdoing or misconduct can go unreported. The culture of whistleblowing is important in large organisations, because unsafe care practices and inadequate training can go unreported. Reporting is important not just from the patient themselves, but staff, who might feel more insecure when it comes to reporting a problem because of fear of retaliation or disciplinary actions by management. By reporting wrongdoing, problems with the standard of patient care may be exposed. This can include problems including inadequate staffing, a lack of critical tools, and inadequate treatment protocols. It is an important part of today’s business practice to hold accountability and transparency as foundations of ethical business practice, to promote patient safety and employee welfare. A new NHS whistleblowing policy needs to be implemented that puts the whistleblowers interest first, allowing them identity protection should they want it.
Technology as a part of NHS whistleblowing policy:
The NHS whistleblowing policy can be revolutionised using independent online software and apps, like Aranea, allowing their workers and patients a more secure, accessible and effective communication platform. Technology makes reporting easier for a larger variety of employees, and also allows faster reporting and investigation because of real life contact between informants and relevant authorities. As remote work becomes more common, technology enables employees to report issues from any location, making it convenient and open to everybody.
Although, employees have to be made aware of the data they should be reporting, and a system has to be put into place to check the validity of the claims, as anonymous reporting has the potential to be abused or be used to submit fraudulent reports. The NHS whistleblowing policy that is in place right now needs to be improved, because speaking up can help solve many issues, especially when the employees and health workers feel that their voices are valued, which can then lead to a better work culture where people feel empowered. This will help them develop better mental and physical health, and become better at their jobs. Technical trust has to be built as well so that the employees know that any reporting online will be taken seriously. This technology also allows the data generated from these reports to be much easier to analyse and any trends or recurring problems can be spotted faster.
Additionally, precautions must be taken to ensure that specific rules are followed while working with a corporate whistleblower system and that employees understand the value of data protection should they choose an independent one. The safety of the information provided is crucial since whistleblowing software is frequently used to help safeguard the reputation of a business or organisation. Data privacy also means that the supplied information has more credibility because it has not been tampered with.
A new NHS Whistleblowing Policy can improve work culture:
Employees will feel better if they believe that the company shares their values and aims to help them solve difficulties and better care for their patients. By altering the NHS’s whistleblower policy, employees and patients can additionally feel heard and be given the opportunity to share their insights and other ideas, creating a more productive workplace. A positive approach to conflict resolution and the prevention of problem escalation are hallmarks of a good work environment. NHS whistleblowing policy should stand for the idea that the NHS management and relevant government bodies are listening, and part of listening is allowing the employees to be able to gather all relevant information, and implementing the changes before the issue or problem goes too far. A work culture that is continuously improving can enhance their job satisfaction and make them work better.
Conclusion:
A new NHS whistleblowing policy won’t change the business overnight, but by enabling employees to voice concerns about things like understaffing and equipment shortages, the NHS can enhance how it responds to various circumstances. The organisational training has to include developing a culture that prioritises worker and patient safety over avoiding confrontation. As it helps to preserve its reputation, whistleblowing is an act of loyalty to the organisation or institute and should be regarded as such. Burnout and unhappiness among healthcare workers are influenced by workplace cultures that do not prioritise employees’ physical and mental health. Data privacy is keeping the identity of the whistleblower and the data obtained private, which can encourage more reports to be made and address issues that are frequently overlooked and negatively impact both patient and employee health. Hundreds of reports have already been fired against the NHS, with many patient agreeing that they don’t provide adequate health services, with time and resources that could be spent on providing direct patient care are wasted by burdensome administrative procedures.