Is it a good idea to plant whistleblowers in care homes to investigate violations in good practice? This is a question that raises different sentiments. Well, every employee feels that they need to raise a concern at work, from time to time. However, this depends on whether the working environment encourages them to do so. A whistleblower will only challenge malpractice if the management is open, honest, and if they resolve the issues that have been raised.
Well, according to a definition by the CQC- Care Quality Commission, a whistleblower can raise concerns internally or with external regulatory bodies. In the latter, a whistleblower is an employee of the regulating body, while in the former, an employee of a particular care home raises concerns about the risk of harm, harm or possible criminal activity but the management doesn't handle them internally. The whistleblower may go ahead and contact a regulatory body. This may happen if the whistleblower also feels that the management will not resolve the issues properly.
The question still remains. It is a good idea to plant whistleblowers in care homes as raising concerns results in significant improvements. A good example of the importance of a whistle blower is Terry Bryan. He raised concerns about patient abuse, but the management and regulators ignored him. Never relenting, his efforts saw the BBC do an expose on the same. Ultimately, it led to the prosecution of the abusers and the closure of the home. The CQC also had a wake up call and changed the way it related to whistleblowers.
In 2012, a BBC report revealed that within 16 months, 4300 whistleblowers came to the fore highlighting the plight of the elderly and people living with disability in care homes. According to the CQC, the most common complaints were physical assault, shouting at patients, failing to respond to call bells, and refusing to take patients to the toilet. There was also a complaint on the levels of staffing. Most whistleblowers were relatives and staff.
Whistleblowers should be protected from unfair dismissal. If they are dismissed, then they should take legal action. If someone reports that a patient's health or safety is in danger, that there is damage to the environment, a criminal offence, or that someone is covering up wrongdoing, then they are protected. Moreover, employees, agency workers, people training with an employer but not yet employed, self-employed workers, if you work in a school or sixth-form College, and NHS workers working under contracts are also protected. If you think what you are reporting is true, think you are telling the right person, or believe that disclosure is in public interest you are protected. It is noteworthy that there are instances when whistleblowers ate not protected.
As we can see, whistleblowers are important, but careful consideration must be made when planting them in care home Bath, whether internally or as employees of regulators. We must ensure that the whistleblowers feel comfortable to raise issues. For example, where the role is played internally, by an employee of the care home, they may fear being disloyal to colleagues, or affect relationships at work. They may also fear raising false alarm, thus wait longer to get proof, which worsens the already prevailing situation. Worse still, they may want to avoid a situation where management does nothing to alleviate the situation at hand. Is it a good idea to plant whistleblowers in care homes to investigate violations in good practice? Yes, undoubtedly.
Well, according to a definition by the CQC- Care Quality Commission, a whistleblower can raise concerns internally or with external regulatory bodies. In the latter, a whistleblower is an employee of the regulating body, while in the former, an employee of a particular care home raises concerns about the risk of harm, harm or possible criminal activity but the management doesn't handle them internally. The whistleblower may go ahead and contact a regulatory body. This may happen if the whistleblower also feels that the management will not resolve the issues properly.
The question still remains. It is a good idea to plant whistleblowers in care homes as raising concerns results in significant improvements. A good example of the importance of a whistle blower is Terry Bryan. He raised concerns about patient abuse, but the management and regulators ignored him. Never relenting, his efforts saw the BBC do an expose on the same. Ultimately, it led to the prosecution of the abusers and the closure of the home. The CQC also had a wake up call and changed the way it related to whistleblowers.
In 2012, a BBC report revealed that within 16 months, 4300 whistleblowers came to the fore highlighting the plight of the elderly and people living with disability in care homes. According to the CQC, the most common complaints were physical assault, shouting at patients, failing to respond to call bells, and refusing to take patients to the toilet. There was also a complaint on the levels of staffing. Most whistleblowers were relatives and staff.
Whistleblowers should be protected from unfair dismissal. If they are dismissed, then they should take legal action. If someone reports that a patient's health or safety is in danger, that there is damage to the environment, a criminal offence, or that someone is covering up wrongdoing, then they are protected. Moreover, employees, agency workers, people training with an employer but not yet employed, self-employed workers, if you work in a school or sixth-form College, and NHS workers working under contracts are also protected. If you think what you are reporting is true, think you are telling the right person, or believe that disclosure is in public interest you are protected. It is noteworthy that there are instances when whistleblowers ate not protected.
As we can see, whistleblowers are important, but careful consideration must be made when planting them in care home Bath, whether internally or as employees of regulators. We must ensure that the whistleblowers feel comfortable to raise issues. For example, where the role is played internally, by an employee of the care home, they may fear being disloyal to colleagues, or affect relationships at work. They may also fear raising false alarm, thus wait longer to get proof, which worsens the already prevailing situation. Worse still, they may want to avoid a situation where management does nothing to alleviate the situation at hand. Is it a good idea to plant whistleblowers in care homes to investigate violations in good practice? Yes, undoubtedly.
SHARE
