Gagging orders explained – Daily Telegraph

“Almost 5,000 council workers and civil servants across Britain have been gagged, The Telegraph has learned. But what are gagging orders and how do they work?”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2013 in compromise, contracts, health, news, select committees, whistleblowers by tracey

“Hundreds of whistleblowers are now free to come forward with damaging
disclosures about the NHS after their gagging orders were retrospectively
lifted, Sir David Nicholson has told MPs.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th March 2013

Soruce: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ban on NHS gagging orders – The Guardian

Posted March 14th, 2013 in contracts, health, hospitals, news, non-disclosure agreements, whistleblowers by sally

“Gagging clauses that stop departing NHS staff from speaking out about patient safety or care have been banned by the government.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Serious Fraud Office investigation reports published – Attorney General’s Office

Posted March 6th, 2013 in news, reports, Serious Fraud Office, whistleblowers by sally

“The Attorney General has sent two reports dealing with allegations of misconduct at the SFO to a parliamentary committee.”

Full story

Attorney General’s Office, 4th March 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Related links: Sir Alex Allan report (PDF) and report by Tim Hurdle (PDF)

Police officer caught in Youtube attack video set for compensation windfall – The Independent

“A policeman who smashed in the windows of a disabled pensioner’s car before dragging him from the front seat for not wearing a seatbelt could bag a six-figure compensation package after claiming a “bullying campaign” forced him out of his job.”

Full story

The Independent, 3rd March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Telling tales out of school: balancing public authority employees’ duties of confidentiality with their right to freedom of expression – Employment Law Blog

“A dinner lady told a child’s parents that their daughter had been tied to a fence and whipped with a skipping rope by some other pupils, repeated the same to the press and then was dismissed for breach of confidentiality and acting in a manner likely to bring the school into disrepute. An employment tribunal found the dismissal procedurally unfair but dismissed her whistleblowing claim and reduced her compensation for unfair dismissal on the grounds of Polkey and for contributory fault. The tribunal did not, however, determine the question of whether the claimant could lawfully be disciplined for ‘telling tales out of school’ (as it put it).”

Full story

Employment Law Blog, 27th February 2013

Source: www.employment11kbw.com

Disclosures made after employment ends can be protected under whistleblowing rules says tribunal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 27th, 2013 in disclosure, employment tribunals, news, whistleblowers by sally

“Employees who ‘blow the whistle’ on bad behaviour by bosses can still take advantage of legal protections even after the employment relationship has ended, a tribunal has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Whistleblowers to be protected from harassment from co-workers – The Guardian

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in bills, employment tribunals, harassment, news, vicarious liability, whistleblowers by sally

“Whistleblowers are to be protected from harassment and bullying from co-workers after criticism that current legislation fails to protect those who speak out.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowing, forgotten children and the legal future of Wales –

Posted February 20th, 2013 in children, constitutional law, news, Wales, whistleblowers by sally

“Joining us this week is Theo Huckle QC, the chief legal officer of Wales who – controversially – says it’s ‘inevitable’ that Wales will become a separate legal jurisdiction. Are centuries of legal union with England really coming to an end?”

Listen

BBC Law in Action, 19th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Whistleblowing laws to be overhauled as new claims emerge over NHS trust – The Guardian

Posted February 18th, 2013 in codes of practice, consultations, hospitals, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

“Whistleblowing legislation is to be overhauled and a government consultation held to investigate whether the Public Interest Disclosure Act (Pida) 1998 is failing to protect those who speak out from being victimised, harassed and even sacked by their employers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowers and press ‘threatened by proposed new police powers’ – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2013 in consultations, investigatory powers, media, news, police, whistleblowers by sally

“The government is proposing to make it easier for the police to seize confidential material from journalists, it emerged on Wednesday night. Legal experts warned that the plans risked trampling on long-standing protections from the state.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mid Staffs Inquiry report: Human rights abuses need human rights solutions – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 6th, 2013 in hospitals, human rights, inquiries, medical treatment, news, whistleblowers by sally

“Hundreds of people have died; others have been starved, dehydrated and left in appalling conditions of indignity, witnessed by their loved ones. Surely this is what Chris Grayling, Justice Secretary, had in mind when he recently cautioned to need to ‘concentrate on real human rights’?”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 6th February 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Robert Francis QC: hundreds were subjected to ‘appalling and unnecessary suffering’ – video – The Guardian

“Robert Francis QC speaks to the media following the release of his report into the Mid Staffordshire NHS trust scandal, in which between 400 to 1,200 people died as a result of inadequate care. Francis makes 290 recommendations in the report. He says that many were failed by a system that put ‘corporate self-interest’ ahead of patients and their safety.”

Video

The Guardian, 6th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mid Staffs report: NHS culture was the culprit – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2013 in codes of practice, hospitals, inquiries, medical treatment, news, whistleblowers by sally

“The scale of Robert Francis’s report cannot be overestimated – and neither can the magnitude of cultural change it calls for.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: Final report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry

NHS staff must reveal poor care by law, says inquiry – Daily Telegraph

“NHS hospitals should face prosecution if doctors and nurses fail to blow the whistle on patients receiving poor care, an official inquiry into the scandal at Stafford Hospital will recommend on Wednesday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Leniency for legal whistleblowers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 1st, 2012 in consultations, news, penalties, professional conduct, solicitors, whistleblowers by sally

“Whistleblowers involved in misconduct will face more lenient penalties under proposals being considered by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 31st October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

TNK-BP whistleblower wins case – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2012 in corruption, disclosure, injunctions, news, whistleblowers by tracey

“Oil firm loses attempt to extend gagging order preventing former logistics head disclosing documents alleging corruption.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowing – Employment Law Blog

Posted October 4th, 2012 in disclosure, employment, legislation, news, whistleblowers by sally

“Simon Devonshire QC delivered this paper on Whistleblowing at the LexisNexis Conference.”

Whistleblowing (PDF)

Employment Law Blog, 4th October 2012

Source: www.11kbw.com

Court of Appeal ruling in ‘whistleblowing’ case – Law Society’s Gazette

“Members of limited liability partnerships are not ‘workers’ under employment legislation, the Court of Appeal ruled this week dismissing a whistleblowing claim made against City firm Clyde & Co.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 28th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

NHS trusts ‘breaking the law’ by denying access to treatment – The Guardian

Posted August 6th, 2012 in budgets, doctors, hospitals, medical treatment, medicines, news, whistleblowers by sally

“The head of the government’s drugs rationing body has claimed that a number of NHS trusts are ‘breaking the law’ by denying patients access to approved treatments and drugs to save money.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk