Independent Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
Pharmacy contractors must ensure that there are arrangements in place for ensuring that all staff and locums* are able raise factual concerns (whistle-blow) about risk, malpractice or wrongdoing which is believed to be compromising patient care, working conditions or calling into question the induction or training for staff.
* also applies to: agency workers, temporary workers, students and volunteers
On 1st November 2016, NHS England published Freedom to speak up in Primary Care – Guidance to primary care providers on supporting whistleblowing in the NHS.
The guidance is for all providers of NHS primary care services including community pharmacies. It details the principles and actions to apply in primary care to support the raising of concerns by staff about the delivery of primary care services to patients and the management of the matter raised.
In order to comply with this requirement, contractors must have in place a whistleblowing policy. The aim of which is to allow an employee (or locum) to raise at the earliest opportunity, any general concern that they might have about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, which might affect patients, the public, other staff, or the organisation itself.
The NHS England guidance expects contractors to review and update their whistleblowing policies and procedures by September 2017.
The guidance also requires each contractor to name an individual as the 'Freedom to Speak Up Guardian' who can ensure that policies are in place and that staff know who to contact if they have a concern; this person must be independent of management within the pharmacy and not be the direct employer. For further information please see the CPE website for more details.
To support our contractors in achieving this requirement, our CPSHIOWChief Officer is available to be nominated as your Freedom to Speak Up Guardian if you so wish.
Procedure to follow for contractors wishing to nominate the CPHIOW Chief Officer
Please download the attached CPSC agreement below and complete the section highlighted in yellow. Delete the general instruction at the top highlighted in green; remembering to then print two hard copies of the agreement
Once done, please sign the documents and return one copy to the CPHIOW Office at Sentinel House, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 2UZ
Freedom to Speak Up Guardian LPC Agreement