Letters

Send your views by email to [email protected], the letters editor @RogerEvansE1, post on the Nursing Standard Facebook page or visit www.nursing-standard.co.uk

Please keep letters to a maximum of 200 words, and include your full name and a daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited

NHS whistleblowers are heroes for some and villains for others Sir Robert Francis QC, who reported on the Mid Staffs scandal two years ago, is concerned that NHS whistleblowers continue to be vilified for speaking out and raising the alarm about poor care. Many staff are deterred from speaking out because they fear victimisation. His solution is to have a ‘freedom to speak up guardian’ at every hospital trust. But these guardians will be paid employees of the trust and may not be impartial. The general attitude among the public is that we need more NHS whistleblower heroes with the courage to challenge malpractice. Yet, as Sir Robert points out, far from having their names on a roll of honour, whistleblowers are seen as villains, with many hounded by their colleagues and sacked by their managers. We need to be careful not to over-react and create a culture in the NHS where clinicians are encouraged to inform on one another, blowing the whistle rather than first going through the appropriate channels for raising concerns. As well as safeguards for those blowing the whistle, we need to protect healthcare practitioners and managers from complaints that are unfounded or malicious and not in the public interest. The NHS needs to be more open and responsive, but this requires a sensible approach. The stakes are high in health care, so it will be important to get it right. Bridget Ryan, by email

THE RCN IS LOSING ONE OF THE BEST LEADERS IT HAS HAD IN RECENT YEARS Peter Carter has announced that he is standing down from his role as general secretary and chief executive of the RCN (Online News February 11). He has been one of the RCN’s best leaders in recent years, and I am 34 february 18 :: vol 29 no 25 :: 2015

saddened by his resignation after just eight years at the helm. Dr Carter has put the RCN on a stable financial footing, increased the membership and retained the Cavendish Square headquarters building, which at one point was in danger of being sold. There have been a number of excellent appointments at the college, particularly the nurse advisers and in the executive team. Dr Carter has successfully juggled the twin roles of general secretary and chief executive, though the college was criticised after the Mid Staffs scandal by Robert Francis QC and health secretary Jeremy Hunt. They pointed to a conflict of interest arising from the RCN’s dual role as a professional body and a trade union. Mr Hunt claimed this conflict had led the RCN to put the interests of union members before those of patients. There have been many problems for nursing in recent years outside Dr Carter’s control. The good name

of nursing and the NHS have been tarnished, with the pay and conditions of many RCN members eroded. The NHS in England has been the victim of a misguided top-down restructuring and the health service is today much in the news with one crisis following another. This is all very unfortunate. But, whatever the future, I wish Dr Carter every success in any new endeavours. Naomi Lyth, by email

PETER CARTER PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN PRESSING FOR BETTER HOSPITAL FOOD I was sorry to hear that Peter Carter has decided to leave his role as chief executive and general secretary of the RCN. The college will miss his leadership of the past eight years, which has seen tremendous improvements to the nursing fraternity in the NHS. In particular, I would like to thank Peter for his support for NHS caterers and catering services in our hospitals. As a former catering manager I would

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The RCN is losing one of the best leaders it has had in recent years.

Peter Carter has announced that he is standing down from his role as general secretary and chief executive of the RCN (Online News February 11)...
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