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It's #SpeakUpMonth in the #NHS so why isn't the National Guardian Office using the word whistleblowing? After all it was the Francis Review into whistleblowing that led to the recommendation for Speak Up Guardians. I believe that if we don't talk about it openly and use the word 'WHISTLEBLOWING' we will be unable to learn and change. Whistleblowing isn’t a problem to be solved or managed, it’s an opportunity to learn and improve. So many genuine healthcare whistleblowers seem to be excluded from contributing to the debate, and yes not all those who claim to be whistleblowers are genuine. The more we move away for labelling and stereotyping, and look at what's happening from all angles, the more we will learn. Regardless of our position, role or perceived status, we all need to address this much more openly and explicitly, in a spirit of truth and with a genuine desire to learn and change.

Nearly half of trust chairs fail to “effectively deal with non-performing board members” according to a major study of the role of NHS non-executive directors seen by HSJ. The Henley Business School conducted in-depth research over a two-year period for its report 'The Independent Director in Society: Our Current Crisis of Governance & What to Do About It' which is published later this month. The research included a survey of NHS non-executive directors, which reveals that they have a broadly positive view about their contribution but also reveals significant areas of concern. Only 55% of respondents agreed with the statement that NHS trust chairs “effectively deal with/remove non-performing and/or disruptive board members”. Just 47% said chairs had “positive relations with the media.” The survey was undertaken before the onset of the pandemic, but nearly a third of the respondents disagreed with the statement that NHS chairs were “effective in a crisis”. However, almost every survey respondent claimed trust chairs had “high moral values” which were “aligned with those of the organisation.” All but 2% of respondents backed the idea that non-executive directors “have a sense of duty to see things are done both ethically and morally”, while 94% claimed they were “truly independent”. However, a fifth claimed it was impossible for non-executive directors to be effective “given the mandate of the NHS”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 1 October 2020