GLASGOW’S health board is to review whistleblowing procedures amid claims staff were ‘victimised’ for reporting long-standing concerns about the city’s super-hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the inquiry will examine how issues are investigated and what actions are taken after concerns are disclosed.

The board said known ‘whistleblowers’ will be asked if they experienced any negative repercussions such as discrimination after disclosing issues.

A whistleblowing champion, Charles Vincent, has been appointed - at no additional cost according to the board - to oversee the review, which is expected to last between six and nine months.

READ MORE: Families 'failed by secrecy' over confidential QEUH infections evidence  

It comes after senior health figures raised concerns that a major report, published last week, on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital could damage the confidence of staff reporting concerns.

The review suggested those who had had raised concerns about infection control and contaminated water, as early as 2015, had caused tension within their department as well as wider problems within the health board.

One senior NHSGGC source said whistleblowers had been ‘victimised’ since reporting their concerns.

Doctors who raised concerns went public in a BBC Disclosure Scotland documentary screened last night.

New national whistleblowing standards were due to come into force in July 2020 which aim to offer more protection to staff and managers but the implementation has been delayed indefinitely due to the pandemic.

NHSGGC say more than 80% of whistleblowing claims result in recommendations but said reviews within other health boards had shown that discrimination has occurred within the whistleblowing process.

One nurse who works in the QEUH said in her experience it was rare for staff to be experience discrimination after disclosing concerns.

She said: “Staff accept that raising issues is an essential part of working in a place like the QEUH, things don’t get fixed unless someone reports the issues.

“People can take these issue reports personally and make a comment or two about it but that’s usually as far as it goes. 
“Staff members punishing others for raising complaints, in my experience, is very rare 
now.”

READ MORE: Super-hospital review: Children with cancer were exposed to infection risk

However Barbara Sweeney, Senior Officer with the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) Scotland, said health boards must to more to ensure staff feel safe about raising concerns.

She added: “Ensuring that there are effective processes for staff to raise concerns would reduce the need for whistleblowing in the first place.”

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “We are currently reviewing our Speak Up and Whistleblowing policies to align with the new national whistleblowing standards.

“We support all staff to speak up if they believe things are not working as they should, as this is an essential element of ensuring patient safety.”