Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to establish a new whistleblowing reporting line for NHS professionals who wish to report abuse, neglect or safeguarding concerns.

We are committed to improving openness in the National Health Service and ensuring whistleblowers receive proper support. Every NHS trust will have a 'Freedom to Speak up Guardian' who will support whistleblowers and foster an open and honest culture. The National Guardian will lead, advise, and support the local guardians in carrying out investigations on how concerns are being handled, share good practice, report on national or common themes, and identify any barriers that are preventing the NHS from having a truly safe and open culture.

There are a number of routes for NHS staff to report a suspected or known wrongdoing, either to their employer or to a prescribed person including their professional body, or the Care Quality Commission (CQC). All whistleblowing concerns raised with the CQC are forwarded to the local inspector for consideration. This allows the CQC to identify problems or concerns in local services that it may need to act upon.