Steve Turner

Way back in March I applied to re-join the NHS to help with COVID-19. I am a mental health nurse prescriber with an unblemished clinical record. I have had an unusual career which includes working in senior management before returning to clinical work in 2002. I have also helped deliver several projects that achieved nation recognition, including one that was highly commented by NICE in 2015, and one that was presented at the NICE Annual Conference in 2018. Several examples of my work can be found on the NICE Shared Learning resource pages. Since applying as an NHS returner. I have been interviewed online 6 times by 3 different organisations, all repeating the same questions. I was told that the area of work I felt best suited to working in - primary care/ community / mental health , specialising in prescribing and multi-morbidity - was in demand. A reference has been taken up and my DBS check eventually came through. I also received several (mostly duplicated) emails. On 29th June I received a call from the acute trust in Cornwall about returning. I explained that I had specified community / primary care as I have no recent acute hospital experience. The caller said they would pass me over to NHS Kernow, an organisation I had mentioned in my application. I have heard nothing since. I can only assume the backlisting I have suffered for speaking out for patients, is still in place. If this is true (and I am always open to being corrected) it is an appalling reflection on the NHS culture in my view. Here is my story: http://www.carerightnow.co.uk/i-dont-want-to-hear-anything-bad-whistleblowing-in-health-social-care/

I'm interested to find out when the results of the evaluation study of the scheme, carried out by Liverpool John Moore's University, will be published? I've asked NHSI. Had no reply so far. If anyone has any update on this is be interested.

Thank you Karen. I hope sharing this can help others. We have to end the 'NHS cold shoulder', its all too common when people speak out. Thankfully I've been invited to speak about my experiences by some trusts & it has proven helpful. It's the silence that hurts & drives people away. I'm up for being challenged on what I experienced and how I reacted, & up for learning. I have compiled some related resources at www.tutv.org.uk

I believe this scheme can help some people. It's a step in the right direction in my view. I have reservations about the coaching aspect though. Many whistleblowers are well respected clinicians and able to sucessfully manage their own careers in a non-toxic environment. They were simply trying to do their job properly when they became 'whistleblowers' and, what was a patient safety issue, suddenly became an employment issue. It's the isolation and blacklisting that they can suffer that's the problem. I'm not sure how this can be overcome. Steve