NHS bosses who stop whistleblowers from speaking out could lose their jobs or be barred from working in the health service altogether.
Under new proposals announced by the government this week, managers will be held accountable for silencing concerns and will be banned in cases of serious misconduct.
Unveiled by health secretary Wes Streeting, the changes intend to “tackle a culture of cover up” and are part of the government’s work to “get the NHS back on its feet”.
A public consultation will be launched tomorrow (26 November 2024) to seek views on the plans which aim to regulate NHS bosses and ensure they adhere to professional standards.
The Department of Health and Social Care is also consulting on whether to implement a new professional duty of candour for managers, as well as making them accountable for handling patient safety concerns.
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Karin Smyth, minister of state for health, said: “To turn around our NHS we need the best and brightest managing the health service, a culture of transparency that keeps patients safe, and an end to the revolving door that allows failed managers to pick up in a new NHS organisation.”
Highlighting that the secretary of state has promised NHS reform as part of the government’s 10-year plan for health, she said the intention for the service was that it would reward success and act decisively on failure.
Smyth added: “Today’s announcement builds on that promise and help us build a health system that protects patients and is fit for the future.”
Options listed in the consultation include a voluntary accreditation register, full statutory registration and statutory barring mechanisms.
It will run for 12 weeks, after which time the department will review responses and establish next steps.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, welcomed the consultation. She said: “It is right that NHS managers have the same level of accountability as other NHS professionals, but it is critical that it comes alongside the necessary support and development to enable all managers to meet the high-quality standards that we expect.”
She added that a range of work was already underway to boost support for NHS managers, including a new single code of practice, induction process and set of professional standards.
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Patients tell us that accountability and transparency is often lacking in their healthcare journeys. We encourage everyone who has experienced NHS care, especially those who have felt unheard by the system, to contribute their views. We will support patients to engage with this consultation as genuine partnership with patients builds a safer healthcare service.”
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