‘More doctors will not blow the whistle for fear of retribution’
A RISING proportion of doctors will not blow the whistle over patient safety concerns for fear of retribution, leading medics have said.
The British Medical Association (BMA) surveyed doctors from around the UK in 2018 and again in 2024.
A rising proportion said they would not feel confident raising concerns about patient care – 26% of 1,578 doctors in 2024, compared with 10% of around 7,900 doctors surveyed in 2018.
Three in five (61%) of those polled in 2024 said they may not raise concerns because they were “afraid” that they or colleagues could be “unfairly blamed or suffer adverse consequences”.
Meanwhile, 45% said they feel that their managers discourage them from raising concerns – up from 20% in 2018.
The BMA said that doctors are now “more frightened than ever” to speak up when they see patient safety issues, or levels of care at risk.
Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of council at the BMA, is set to highlight a culture of “protectionism rather than accountability”.
At the union’s national annual meeting in Belfast today, Prof Banfield will reference the case of Lucy Letby, where whistleblowers’ concerns about the child serial killer were not addressed for months before she was finally taken off frontline duties.
He will say that the BMA “will not stand idly by as employers try to silence those who raise concerns”.
“Have we learned from Letby? Let me tell you, I fear not,” he will add.
“Pandora’s box of raising concerns is about to be thrown wide open. This is far bigger than the Post Office scandal and the BMA will do all it can to help uncover wrongdoing.”
Prof Banfield will say the union will “continue to fight for change and the issue of employers trying to silence those who dare to speak up” and will call for NHS managers to be held accountable for their actions.
He will describe a “disgraceful revolving door of ineptitude”, saying that some poorly performing managers have been “conferred a degree of protection” and “shuffled out of prominent roles and into other senior positions”.
“That’s why we’re backing the regulation of non-medical managers. Because as long as this culture of protectionism, rather than accountability, holds sway, doctors will continue to face appalling victimisation,” he will add.
Prof Banfield will also highlight the “misuse” of physician associates (PAS) in the NHS.
As the NHS continues with plans to increase the number of PAS in the health service, concerns have been raised that patients are mistaking them for fully qualified doctors.
The Scottish Government has previously said that “physician associates are an important and valued part of the NHS Scotland workforce”, but BMA Scotland has expressed concerns about their role.
PAS have been under increased scrutiny following the death of Emily Chesterton in November 2022.
The 30-year-old had been under the impression that she was seeing a GP, but was actually seen twice by a PA who failed on both occasions to spot that her leg pain and breathlessness was a blood clot, which ultimately travelled to her lungs.
The BMA has previously called for a halt in any further recruitment of PAS while concerns highlighted by the union are addressed.
Last week, the Royal College of GPS called for a pause of recruitment of PAS in general practice until they are regulated.
Prof Banfield will say: “NHS England says MAPS (medical associate professionals) are not doctors, but propose no ceiling on their scope of practice.
“How they can entertain both positions makes no sense.
“And we keep seeing examples of PAS being called ‘physicians’ or ‘specialists’.
“This is not just misleading the public, it incites a criminal offence.
“We will lobby for a return to the term ‘assistant’ and not ‘associate’.
“We will not back down in our call for a halt to any further recruitment of MAPS until the medical profession’s concerns are fully addressed.”
On whistleblowing concerns, a spokesman for NHS England said: “It is completely unacceptable for any member of staff to feel silenced or unable to speak up.
“Not only should everyone working in the NHS feel they can raise concerns, but they must know that they will be acted on and that they will be treated fairly. This is vital for ensuring that the NHS learns from mistakes and provides the best possible care for patients.
“Every NHS trust should be adopting the updated national freedom to speak up policy and NHS England has recently asked all local areas to urgently ensure staff have easy access to information on how they can raise concerns.”
The BMA will do all it can to help uncover wrongdoing