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Speaking Up on Safety: Understanding the Employers’ Playbook

This webinar took place on 18th September. Watch it back below.

As doctors, the GMC tells us that we must speak up if we observe patient safety concerns.

But too many doctors who make protected disclosures become victimised by bad employers. The series of actions deployed in these cases is the Employers' Playbook.

This webinar aims to equip you with the knowledge you need to protect yourself when making a protected disclosure. It will cover:

  • The clinical 'mafia' and how it works
  • How to spot the signs that you're being investigated
  • MHPS investigation and pre-investigation
  • How to safely raise a concern
  • What support is available.

Speakers

Sasha Burn is HCSA's Medical Employment Adviser. Sasha qualified in 1996 and trained all over the UK prior to doing her neurosurgical fellowship in Toronto and then successfully obtaining a consultant post as a paediatric neurosurgeon in Alder Hey Children's Hospital in 2009. After raising patient safety concerns, Sasha left Alder Hey and retrained in trade unionism and employment law. Sasha has a passionate interest in patient safety and was the force behind the HCSA's guide for doctors Speaking Up on Safety: Understanding the Employer's Handbook.

Martin Bond is HCSA National Officer for the North West, where he has supported a number of doctors who have raised patient safety concerns. He has extensive experience of representing trade union members in Unite, the GMB and for Citizens Advice.

You may think it will never happen to you. But, if you are a conscientious doctor and you speak up, there is a chance it will.

This webinar has now passed. Watch it back below.

 

Further resources

Bullying and resilience

Cuddy, Amy, interview with TED Fixable podcast, 8 April 2024

Peters, Steve, The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness, 2012

First-hand accounts

Duffy, Peter, Whistle in the Wind: Life, death, detriment and dismissal in the NHS, 2019

Drew, David, Little Stories of Life and Death, 2014

Swinn, Michael, Hitting Your Head against a Brick Wall, 2024

The law

Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

'Whistleblowing at work: The law', Acas, June 2023

'Whistleblowing for employees', GOV.UK