Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake a review of the use of non disclosure agreements in the NHS.

We do not have any current plans to undertake a review of the use of non-disclosure agreements in the National Health Service. Confidentiality clauses used within any such agreements can have a legal and legitimate purpose in helping to resolve workplace disputes or end a working relationship by mutual agreement. Our policy and NHS guidance has been consistently clear that employers must not use confidentiality clauses which attempt to prevent employees from whistleblowing or discussing matters that might compromise the quality and safety of patient care or the safety and wellbeing of employees.