The whistleblower playbook

Summary

At the beginning of 2025 we launched our video interview series Speaking up for patient safety. The series is hosted by Peter Duffy, NHS whistleblower and Chair of the Healthcare Working Group at WhistleblowersUK, and Helen Hughes, Patient Safety Learning’s Chief Executive. In each interview we hear from someone who has raised concerns about patient safety in healthcare, often at great cost to their own career and personal life.

Alongside the thread of bravery and tenacity that runs through each contributor, a number of common themes come up time and again as people share their experiences. One thing that we often hear is the common tactics that some organisations use when dealing with people who speak up or blow the whistle. To highlight these tactics we have created 'The whistleblower playbook' infographic, illustrating how some organisations respond to staff raising concerns about patient safety.

Content

These themes have been drawn from our Speaking up for patient safety interview series. To read more, see our Key themes emerging from our ‘Speaking up for patient safety’ interview series blog.