Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Senior Medicolegal Adviser at the Medical Protection Society, said:
“Efforts to help to bring about an open, learning culture in the NHS are to be welcomed. The Medical Protection Society has long called for a culture of openness in the NHS - we believe that healthcare professionals should no longer react to incidents with fear, but with an eagerness to report, explain and learn from what has happened.
“We do however recognise the enormous challenge a doctor faces when raising concerns about patient care, particularly if this requires raising concerns about a colleague’s behaviour, health or professional performance.
“Our experience shows that there is still anxiety among the healthcare community about speaking out. There is uncertainty around how to take concerns forward, doctors feel anxious that effective action will not be taken if they do raise issues, and they worry that speaking out will mean they are seen as the problem rather than a source of valuable information.
“These all remain significant challenges – and they can only be tackled through cultural change.”
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