Chapter 8 On not blowing the whistle: quiescent silence as an emotion episode

Blenkinsopp, John; Edwards, Marissa S.

doi:10.1016/s1746-9791(08)04008-x

Cited by 37 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Yet research suggests that such simple dichotomies are unhelpful: for example, healthcare professionals may raise concerns internally within the organisation in more informal ways before (or instead of) utilising whistleblowing processes. 9 Before coming to any decision on whether to blow the whistle, employees usually find themselves trying to work out exactly what is happening, often through engaging in dialogue with colleagues and seeking a 'second opinion. ' Other informal strategies may include the use of humour or sarcasm to signal discontent, or the use of 'off-the-record' discussions with managers and employees.…”

Section: Cultures Of Silence and Cultures Of Voice In Healthcare Orgamentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultures of Silence and Cultures of Voice: The Role of Whistleblowing in Healthcare Organisations

Mannion

Davies

2015

Int J Health Policy Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Cultures Of Silence and Cultures Of Voice In Healthcare Orgamentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultures of Silence and Cultures of Voice: The Role of Whistleblowing in Healthcare Organisations

Mannion

Davies

2015

Int J Health Policy Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, before deciding to blow the whistle employees usually find themselves trying to work out exactly what is happening, often through engaging in dialogue with colleagues. 15 Such behaviour could be consistent with the informal/identified/internal whistleblowing pathway, 14 but it seems unlikely that staff would perceive such conversations as a form of whistleblowing. 14 typology might translate into a health-care context.…”

Section: The Emergence Of Whistleblowing As a Field Of Studymentioning

confidence: 91%

Understanding the knowledge gaps in whistleblowing and speaking up in health care: narrative reviews of the research literature and formal inquiries, a legal analysis and stakeholder interviews

Mannion

Blenkinsopp

Powell

et al. 2018

Health Serv Deliv Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background There is compelling evidence to suggest that some (or even many) NHS staff feel unable to speak up, and that even when they do, their organisation may respond inappropriately. Objectives The specific project objectives were (1) to explore the academic and grey literature on whistleblowing and related concepts, identifying the key theoretical frameworks that can inform an understanding of whistleblowing; (2) to synthesise the empirical evidence about the processes that facilitate or impede employees raising concerns; (3) to examine the legal framework(s) underpinning whistleblowing; (4) to distil the lessons for whistleblowing policies from the findings of Inquiries into failings of NHS care; (5) to ascertain the views of stakeholders about the development of whistleblowing policies; and (6) to develop practical guidance for future policy-making in this area. Methods The study comprised four distinct but interlocking strands: (1) a series of narrative literature reviews, (2) an analysis of the legal issues related to whistleblowing, (3) a review of formal Inquiries related to previous failings of NHS care and (4) interviews with key informants. Results Policy prescriptions often conceive the issue of raising concerns as a simple choice between deciding to ‘blow the whistle’ and remaining silent. Yet research suggests that health-care professionals may raise concerns internally within the organisation in more informal ways before utilising whistleblowing processes. Potential areas for development here include the oversight of whistleblowing from an independent agency; early-stage protection for whistleblowers; an examination of the role of incentives in encouraging whistleblowing; and improvements to criminal law to protect whistleblowers. Perhaps surprisingly, there is little discussion of, or recommendations concerning, whistleblowing across the previous NHS Inquiry reports. Limitations Although every effort was made to capture all relevant papers and documents in the various reviews using comprehensive search strategies, some may have been missed as indexing in this area is challenging. We interviewed only a small number of people in the key informant interviews, and our findings may have been different if we had included a larger sample or informants with different roles and responsibilities. Conclusions Current policy prescriptions that seek to develop better whistleblowing policies and nurture open reporting cultures are in need of more evidence. Although we set out a wide range of issues, it is beyond our remit to convert these concerns into specific recommendations: that is a process that needs to be led from elsewhere, and in partnership with the service. There is also still much to learn regarding this important area of health policy, and we have highlighted a number of important gaps in knowledge that are in need of more sustained research. Future work A key area for future research is to explore whistleblowing as an unfolding, situated and interactional process and not just a one-off act by an identifiable whistleblower. In particular, we need more evidence and insights into the tendency for senior managers not to hear, accept or act on concerns about care raised by employees. Funding The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

show abstract

“…As Blenkinsopp and Edwards note, deciding to report requires 'an iterative process shaped by multiple factors, including events unfolding in realtime' in a complex and ever changing employment environment. 42 The process of reporting may be protracted, as evidence is often obtained over a period of time. Employees can face challenges determining whether they have actually observed wrongdoing, 43 and cultural attitudes may conflict with an employee's sense of what amounts to impropriety.…”

Section: Challenging the 'One Disclosure' Narrativementioning

confidence: 99%