[ORGANISATION NAME] is committed to the highest standards of openness, honesty, and accountability. We recognise that it is essential for staff to be able to raise concerns about care quality, safety, illegal activity, or misconduct without fear of detriment.

This policy complies with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) and the NHS and Social Care Whistleblowing Policy. The policy is supported by [ORGANISATION NAME]'s commitment to a speak-up culture where concerns are welcomed, investigated transparently, and used to drive improvement.

• All qualifying disclosures made in good faith are protected under PIDA 1998
• No worker will suffer detriment for making a protected disclosure
• Anonymous reports can be made but may limit the investigation
• This policy is distinct from the Complaints Policy (POL07) and the Grievance Procedure

A qualifying disclosure under PIDA is information that a worker reasonably believes shows: a criminal offence has been, or is likely to be, committed; a legal obligation has been, or is likely to be, breached; a miscarriage of justice has occurred or is likely to occur; the health and safety of any individual has been, or is likely to be, endangered; the environment has been, or is likely to be, damaged; or information about any of the above has been, or is likely to be, deliberately concealed.

In the context of [ORGANISATION NAME], this includes concerns about: poor or unsafe care practice; abuse or neglect of service users; falsification of records; financial irregularity or fraud; failure to comply with CQC registration requirements; and breaches of professional standards.

Staff should raise concerns in the first instance with their line manager. If the concern relates to the line manager, or the worker feels unable to approach them, concerns may be raised with the Registered Manager ([MANAGER NAME]) or the Nominated Individual ([NOMINATED INDIVIDUAL]).

If the concern relates to the Registered Manager or Nominated Individual, workers may contact CQC directly on 03000 616161 or Ofsted on 0300 123 1231. Workers may also contact the independent whistleblowing charity Protect (formerly Public Concern at Work) on 020 3117 2520 for confidential advice.