NHS Lothian Whistleblowing Report

03 Jul 2018

The College has been represented on an independent review group established by the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges and Faculties in Scotland which investigated allegations made regarding NHS Lothian by a whistleblowing letter in October 2017. This letter raised concerns about the validity of the recording of breaches of the 4 hour unscheduled care standard on the St John’s Hospital site. It also alleged that there was coercion of staff by certain individuals on other hospital staff to amend breach times. NHS Lothian triggered an internal review soon after the letter was received.

In addition to this internal investigation, Professor Derek Bell, as Chair of the Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties, was asked by the Scottish Government to undertake an external review of the issues raised in the Whistleblowing letter. A review team was assembled, which included Dr Frank Dunn CBE, a Consultant Cardiologist and past President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and Dr David Chung , the Chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (Scotland), Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

The review was published by the Scottish Government on the 26th June 2018, and a full copy of the report can be found on their website.

Category: Workforce