Whistleblowing: rise in concerns raised with the NMC
The number of whistleblowing disclosures made to the nursing regulator by people concerned about wrongdoing in their workplaces has increased, new data reveals.
In a new report released today, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said it received 149 qualifying whistleblowing disclosures in 2023-24, compared with 137 the previous year.
“We’re committed to addressing concerns received through whistleblowing disclosures seriously”
Kuljit Dhillon
Whistleblowing is when a nurse, midwife, student or other worker takes action to report wrongdoing at work in the name of public interest.
The law states that these disclosures need to relate to a suspected crimincal offence, breach of a legal obligation, miscarriage of justice, threat to health and safety or damage to the environment to be counted as whistleblowing.
As well as making disclosures directly to their employers, whistleblowers can go to the NMC with their concerns if they think the matter falls within its regulatory remit.
Each year the NMC releases a joint report with other healthcare regulators on the whistleblowing disclosures they have received and how they addressed them.
In the latest report, the NMC confirmed that, from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, it received 149 disclosures which it determined met the criteria as a qualifying whistleblowing disclosure.
Common themes identified by the NMC from the disclosures included concerns about patient care, management issues, health and safety, dishonesty, communication issues, prescribing and medicines management and behaviour or violence.
It said it had taken regulatory action in response to all the qualifying disclosures.
In total, 132 of the disclosures were forwarded on to the NMC’s fitness to practise team because they raised concerns about the practice of a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.
Meanwhile, 39 resulted in follow ups being made with employers, and 37 disclosures were considered by the NMC’s education quality assurance team.
The NMC also said that 10 disclosures were “handled as safeguarding or wellbeing concerns in collaboration with the safeguarding lead”.
In 91 cases, the NMC also referred the whistleblowing disclosure onto an alternative body to look into.
Organisations with which the NMC has shared information in the last year include the Care Quality Commission, General Medical Council, HM Revenue & Customs, Home Office, Medicines & Healthcare products Regulation Agency, NHS Counter Fraud Authority and the Office for Standards in Education.
The NMC noted that none of the disclosures listed in the report relate to concerns about the NMC and its internal culture.
It comes as the NMC has been under scrutiny over the way it treats its employees, leading to a damning report in July 2024 describing the regulator as a toxic and dysfunctional place to work.
Kuljit Dhillon
Kuljit Dhillon, interim executive director of strategy and insight at the NMC, said its new report showed it took whistleblowing disclosures “seriously”.
“To protect health and care professionals, and for the safety of the public, it’s paramount that people feel empowered to speak up about any concerns they have,” she added.
“Equally important is ensuring those concerns are heard, with confidence that appropriate action will follow.
“As today’s report shows, we’re committed to addressing concerns received through whistleblowing disclosures seriously.”
She urged any other nurses, midwives or nursing associates who had concerns to come forward.
