NHS bosses who silence whistleblowers ‘should be sacked and banned’

Wes Streeting has spoken of his desire to root out those who stifle the truth within the NHS by introducing “tough enforcement”.

Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Streeting - who could become Health Secretary on Thursday if Labour win the General Election – said this would form a key part of the party’s commitment to eradicate a culture of cover ups.

Three reviews on serious patient safety failings have already recommended the regulation of NHS senior managers, to allow them to be disbarred if they silence whistleblowers.

“I think the only way in which we genuinely protect whistleblowers and create a culture of honesty and openness is if you have tough enforcement,” said Mr Streeting.

“I’m deadly serious when I say NHS managers who silence whistleblowers will be out and will never work in the NHS again. It is the number one priority for the system. And I want people to have the confidence to speak out and come forward.”

The involvement of whistleblowers is critical in exposing bad practice and systemic failings within the NHS, although those involved frequently speak out about how they feel unable to do so and without adequate protection.

Recently, allegations from whistleblowers at the Royal Sussex County Hospital led to the launch of Operation Bramber, which is investigating claims of negligence within its surgery and is thought to involve over 100 cases including 40 deaths.

However, the two consultant surgeons who flagged up failings have since spoken of their concerns being “ignored and/or deliberately concealed” by bosses, and of attempts to silence them.

Separately, other doctors played a crucial role in highlighting the poor standards in maternity care at the Royal Sussex, with is rated as inadequate by the CQC. More recently, it emerged that at least nine babies died due to failings within the wider University Hospitals Sussex Trust’s care between 2021 and 2023, and a public inquiry is being called for by the bereaved parents.

Mr Streeting spoke of his worry around maternity care, with investigations into a number of Trusts nationally, combined with the release of the recent Birth Trauma Report, laying bare the widespread issues.

“I’m extremely anxious about maternity services, and what frightens me is the issues we’ve seen raised in relation to Nottingham and Kent, I think are a risk factor right across the NHS,” he said.

Nisha Sharma, principal lawyer and clinical negligence specialist, acts for growing numbers of families impacted by both Operation Bramber and maternity failings at the Royal Sussex.

“We have seen on many occasions how important whistleblowing is in uncovering major failings in NHS care and in instigating the change that will lead to improvements, but too often we hear how these people feel they are unable to come forward for fear of reprisals,” she said.

“This cannot and must not happen and telling the truth must always be given absolutely priority and protection. We warmly welcome the decisive action discussed by Mr Streeting, and hope he does indeed make this a priority should he become Health Secretary.

“Maternity services too are rightly identified as a priority and it is of critical importance that individual NHS Trusts must be looked at as part of a wider picture, and not in isolation as is currently the case. We hope Mr Streeting will also support calls for a public inquiry which will bring about the answers and change parents across the country need and deserve.”