Most
universities and colleges have implemented whistleblowing procedures for staff,
but few have been used, according to a study by Middlesex University’s Centre
for Research in Industrial and Commercial Law.
It
found 88 per cent of respondents with procedures had never used them, while the
remainder said whistleblowing had occurred on fewer than five occasions.
Ninety
per cent said their procedures allowed for disciplinary action to be taken
against people who made a malicious report.
Report
co-author, Professor David Homewood, said, “With news that workers are starting
to receive large sums of compensation under the Public Interest Disclosure Act,
it seems inevitable that HR departments that have not drafted a whistleblowing
procedure will be under considerable pressure to do so.