Procedure for NHS staff to raise concerns

The aims of this procedure are:

• To encourage staff to discuss concerns and safety issues as soon as possible, in the knowledge that their concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon as appropriate, 
• To encourage staff to report more serious concerns and suspected wrongdoing as soon as possible, in the knowledge that their concerns will be taken seriously and investigated as appropriate, and where requested that their confidentiality will be respected.
• To provide staff with guidance as to how to raise those concerns.
• To assure staff that they should be able to raise genuine concerns without fear of reprisals, even if they turn out to be mistaken.

This procedure applies to all employees, officers, consultants, contractors, students, volunteers, interns, casual workers and agency workers.