If Something Isn’t Right, Talk To Us
If you are a member of staff and you need to raise a concern about patient safety, working conditions or wrongdoing, you should firstly speak to your manager, supervisor or clinical director, either informally or formally.
We recognise that raising any issue is daunting. This is why we have Confidential Contacts who offer a safe space for colleagues to discuss their concerns confidentially and be signposted to the appropriate next steps for help. You’ll find details of who to contact on our Confidential Contacts page.
The new National Whistleblowing Standards for the NHS in Scotland came into force on 1st April 2021 and apply to anyone working to deliver NHS services. It’s important that you know what options you have to raise a concern in confidence and in a protected way.
You can access the relevant resources using the buttons below.
To submit a formal whistleblowing concern, please email ggc.whistleblowing@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
INWO – Our Findings
The website below provides reports containing the findings and conclusions of the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer.
Staff Experience 2023/2024
Questions and Answers
Brian Auld,
Non-Executive Board Member and Whistleblowing Champion
“My pledge as your Whistleblowing Champion is to ensure that we create the best environment that allows you to be courageous and take that first step with raising any concerns that you may have.”
I joined the Board of NHS GGC in July this year as your new Whistleblowing Champion to build upon the great work that has already been done to introduce the National Whistleblowing Standards across all areas of the organisation. As a way of an introduction, I am a Chartered Environmental Health Officer by background, and I have worked mainly in regulation and enforcement across the public sector in Scotland, including several years in the NHS. As you begin to get to know me through my role as Whistleblowing Champion, you will see that I am a passionate advocate for speaking up, and I believe that every single person, no matter what your role is within NHS GGC, must have the opportunity to talk about anything that concerns them about the services we deliver or the assets that we are responsible for. We all have a role to play with ensuring that we keep our patients and service users safe and provide the best healthcare experience that we can at all times.
I am confident that we have the right processes in place to work with you and have a positive conversation if you believe that something is wrong or not quite right. I know from my own personal experience how challenging and difficult it can be to take that very first step in speaking up. I have led investigations into Whistleblowing, and I have also been a whistleblower when I believed that something that I had seen was wrong. Although my own experience was extremely positive, I know that for some people who whistleblow, that this has not always been their own experience. I want you to feel that you have been listened to and heard and have absolute confidence and trust in us that we will take all the necessary steps to independently investigate and report on our findings in an open and transparent way whilst maintaining confidentiality. Above all, I want you to feel empowered to take that first step and speak up.
Kim Donald,
Corporate Services Manager – Governance and Whistleblowing Lead
“I pledge to listen without judgement and protect colleagues throughout the process”
As Corporate Services Manager – Governance, part of my role is to oversee the whistleblowing process within NHSGGC and ensure we comply with the national standards that can be found here National Whistleblowing Standards | INWO (spso.org.uk). It is extremely important as an organisation that we continue to learn from feedback, and whistleblowing is a key element of that.
It may be helpful for colleagues to know that, as an organisation, we are legally obligated to protect anyone who speaks up from detriment, and that confidentiality is paramount during the process. We take this very seriously, and I work closely with HR colleagues on what this would look like to ensure that we protect staff in a meaningful way.
We also offer support via our Confidential Contacts Confidential Contacts – NHSGGC who can be contacted for advice on the process before raising concerns, and/or support during the process. We have taken time to ensure we have a diverse group of colleagues providing this support across the Board, and I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Confidential Contacts for their ongoing support and commitment.
Further support and resources are available via:
Support Materials
Posters and leaflets
If you require printed materials, either additional copies of the Speak Up posters, or the leaflet, please contact: ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
