Whistleblowers against sexual harassment
Protect’s head of Policy, Andrew Pepper-Parsons, featured in last weeks Times article commenting on the CBI sexual harassment allegations. (The Times)
+ TikTok’s handling of complaints about sexual misconduct is criticised by staff. (Financial Times)
+ The government is supporting a private members bill which will increase the responsibilities of employers when it comes to sexual harassment allegations. A preventative, and positive step in the right direction to supporting all members of staff in the work place. (Personnel Today)
Environmental Whistleblowing
The EA (Environmental Agency) is under more scrutiny since last week and is being taken to High Court after failure to protect River Wye from agricultural pollution. (Evening Standard)
+ Protects Legal Director, Sybille Raphael, spoke at the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers 2023 Summit this week to discuss blowing the whistle on environmental damage. (GAIL)
Legal professional privilege
+ A trust spent £460,000 on legal fees trying to fight a patient safety whistleblowing case that it lost, but then says it is unable to release the review of lessons learned, claiming it was “legal advice provided by a qualified legal adviser to its client. This means that the requested information is subject to legal professional privilege”. (HSJ)
Care home and NHS Trust under criticism
Birmingham care home is forced to shut down after installing CCTV without consent of tenants and their Guardians, breaching strict privacy regulations. The investigation by the CQC was launched after numerous whistleblowing complaints were raised concerning the care home, including financial and physical abuse. (MSN)
+ Ivetsey Bank Hospital in Staffordshire, formerly run by The Huntercombe Group, has been issued an official warning after an extensive investigation by The Independant found the private hospital had put the safety of young mental health patients at risk. (The Independent)
Bullying in the workplace
Whistleblowers speaking up has led to a review and recognition that “substantial issues around culture, behaviour, leadership and governance” need to be addressed. (MSN)
+ This review came after a BBC Newsnight investigation on the shocking culture uncovered at University Hospitals Birmingham Trust. (Protect)
The obstacles faced by whistleblowers around the world
New article breaks down some of the obstacles faced by individuals contemplating speaking up in the banking sector. (The BFT Online)
+ A teacher has recently been fired after raising concerns of understaffing at her place of work, and the implications her job has had to her mental health. (MSN)