Whistleblowing for p

atients

in the 21st century

Paul Hodgkin@paulhodgkin

Photo acknowledgements to @Chooo-san

“A whistleblower is a person who exposes misconduct, alleged dishonesty or illegal activity occurring in an organisation…

Most whistleblowers are internal whistleblowers, who report misconduct on a fellow employee or superior within their company….

External whistleblowers report misconduct to outside persons or entities…”

“A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction on behalf of a consumer to a responsible body”

Wikipedia

Social media radically changes both external whistleblowingand complaints because:

The public is becoming the preferred ‘responsible body’ to which both patients and staff want to appeal

Reporting to an official body(internal, CQC etc...)

Reporting to the public(Facebook, Twitter,

Patient Opinion etc...)

Staff Citizen

Internal whistle blowing to the organisation

External whistle blowing to regulator, CQC,

Anonymous comments via FFT etc...Letter to CEOComplaintInform CQC, LA etc..

Generic platforms• Blogs• Tweets• Facebook

Generic platforms• Blogs• Tweets• Facebook

Bespoke platforms• Patient Opinion

Bespoke platforms• Patient Opinion

Site makes it clear who has read each story

We are seeing a new class of ‘public but anonymous’ comments where the author is anonymous but the dialogue is publicThese public but anonymous comments are:

- a new form of whistleblowing- used by both patients and staff

What we know so far is that to work they need to be:- Securely anonymous- Visible to authors, the public and a range of organisations- Mediated by a trusted third party

‘Public but anonymous’ comments have traction because:

- Lower costs to potential whistle blowers- They are visible to everyone

- Its explicit which organisations have read any given story. This has obvious but unclear legal implications

- The independent third party manages:• Inappropriate postings• Works to retain trust of all parties• Manages some ‘online’ aspects: deliberate delays,

removal of all names etc...

‘Public but anonymous’ comments are no panacea:

- Not suitable for more serious allegations?

- Anonymity makes it hard for organisations to respond

- Going public may have legal implications for whistleblowers if identified

- May be abusive, malicious, or subject to ‘gaming’

Whistleblowing and complaints used to be the battery hens of the NHS living unhappy lives waiting to be executed within the iron cage of the NHS bureaucracy

Today complaints and whistle blowing are escaping the surly bonds of due process and going free range on the web with direct appeals to the public

Paul Hodgkin (‘paulhodgkin)

Thank You

@paulhodgkin

Paul is Founder and Chair ofPatient Opinion

The views expressed here are his own