Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS staff who raise concerns about workplace privacy, dignity or safety are protected from victimisation or disciplinary action.

Legal protections include the Employment Rights Act 1996, as amended by the Public Disclosure Act 1998, which gives employees protection against unfair dismissal and detriment in employment on the basis that they have made a protected disclosure, and a right to seek remedy through an employment tribunal where this occurs. Separate regulations also protect National Health Service job applicants from discrimination on the grounds they made a protected disclosure in the past.

There is also a range of support for NHS workers who wish to report concerns, including local Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, a National Freedom to Speak Up policy and support from independent organisations such as Speak Up Direct. Finally, we will shortly be introducing a new set of Staff Standards which employers must meet, and which will mandate additional action in key areas such as reducing and preventing violence, tackling racism and sexual safety.

Our 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. We will do this by ensuring staff are better treated, have better training and more fulfilling roles.