Raising

concerns
Guidance for nurses
and midwives
We are the nursing and midwifery regulator for England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland.

• We exist to protect the health and wellbeing of the public.

• W
 e set the standards of education, training and conduct and
performance so that nurses and midwives can deliver high
quality healthcare consistently throughout their careers.

• W
 e make sure that nurses and midwives keep their skills and
knowledge up to date and uphold our professional standards.

• W
 e have clear and transparent processes to investigate
nurses and midwives who fall short of our standards.

This booklet has been approved by Plain English Campaign and

has been awarded their Crystal Mark for clarity.
Introduction
This document provides guidance for nurses and midwives on
raising concerns (which includes ‘whistleblowing’). It explains the
processes you should follow when raising a concern, provides
information about the legislation in this area, and tells you
where you can get confidential support and advice.
As a nurse or midwife, you have a professional duty to put the
interests of the people in your care first and to act to protect
them if you consider they may be at risk. Where we use the term
in your care throughout this document, it is used to indicate
all of those people you come across or know about because
of your work as a nurse or midwife, not just those people you
deliver specific care for or have direct clinical or managerial
responsibility for.
This guidance supports and should be read together with The
Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for
nurses and midwives (the Code) (NMC, 2015). No matter what
sort of healthcare environment or geographical area you
work in, it is important that you know how to raise concerns
appropriately. This guidance cannot cover every single situation
that you may face, but it sets out the broad principles that will
help you to think through the issues and take appropriate action
in the public interest.
You should use this guidance with whistleblowing policies issued
by your employer and with local clinical governance and
risk management procedures, which will provide information
on reporting incidents early or near misses. You should also
make sure that you understand and follow your local authority’s
safeguarding policies.
Safeguarding the health and wellbeing of those in your care
means these people should not be exposed to abuse or neglect.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 1

Abuse or neglect and the different circumstances in which they
take place can take many forms. An illustrative list of actions
that may constitute neglect or abuse and should give rise to
concern includes the following:
• Physical abuse
• Domestic violence
• Sexual abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Financial or material abuse
• Modern slavery
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational abuse
• Neglect and acts of omission
• Self-neglect*
Immediate concerns about abuse or neglect should be dealt with
under local safeguarding procedures first. For more information
about this, please see your local safeguarding policies and the
further reading section on page 25.
This guidance is for all nurses, midwives and pre-registration
nursing and midwifery students, no matter where you might
work. The principles supporting this guidance also apply to
all healthcare professionals, so this guidance may be helpful
to other staff within the workplace. However, if you are a
self-employed nurse or midwife or working as a volunteer,
we recommend that you get more advice before raising any
concerns you might have (see the section ‘Where can I get help
or advice?’ on page 21).
We recognise that it is not always easy to report concerns.
You may not know how to, or you may worry that you are being
disloyal, or fear reprisals from your employer’s reaction. It may

* Taken from Chapter 14, Care and Support Statutory Guidance (2014) issued
by the Department of Health under the Care Act 2014 - https://www.gov.uk/
government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315993/Care-
Act-Guidance.pdf
2 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives
also be particularly difficult for those of you who work and
live in remote and small communities. However, the health and
wellbeing of the people in your care must always be your main
concern. Raising your concern early can prevent minor issues
becoming serious ones, and so protect the public from harm and
improve standards of care.
If you are not sure how this guidance applies to your situation,
or if you want some confidential advice before you raise your
concern, or at any stage during the process, we recommend
that you get advice from your professional body, trade union or
the independent whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work
(PCaW). PCaW provides confidential advice to employees who
witness wrongdoing or malpractice in the workplace and who
are not sure whether or how to raise their concern.
Professional bodies and trade unions can play a vital role in
offering local support and guidance to staff who have concerns
about any part of their work, including fears about patient
or client care. They can also raise matters formally with your
organisation on your behalf and can access other forums within
your organisation. Raising a concern can often seem isolating
and intimidating - having this support can help you to meet your
professional standards with more confidence.

You can find further information on where you can get advice
from page 21 onwards.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 3

Your role in raising concerns
1 A
 s a nurse or midwife, you have a professional duty to report
any concerns from your workplace which put the safety of the
people in your care or the public at risk.
2 The Code (section 16) states the following.
2.1 A
 ct without delay if you believe that there is a risk to patient
safety or public protection.
2.2 To achieve this you must:
2.3 R
 aise and, if necessary, escalate (take further action on) any
concerns you may have about patient or public safety, or
the level of care people are receiving at your workplace or
any other healthcare setting and use the channels available
to you in line with our guidance and your local working
practices.
2.4 Raise your concerns immediately if you are being asked to
practise beyond your role, experience and training.
2.5 Tell someone in authority at the first reasonable opportunity
if you experience problems that may prevent you working
within the Code or other national standards, taking prompt
action to tackle the causes of concern if you can.
2.6Acknowledge and act on all concerns raised to you,
investigating, escalating or dealing with those concerns
where it is appropriate for you to do so.
2.8 N
 ot obstruct, intimidate, victimise or in any way hinder a
colleague, member of staff, person you care for or member
of the public who wants to raise a concern.
2.9 Protect anyone you have management responsibility for from
any harm, detriment, victimisation or unwarranted treatment
after a concern is raised.

4 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

3 S
 peaking up on behalf of people in your care and clients is an
everyday part of your role. Just as raising genuine concerns
represents good practice, ‘doing nothing’ and failing to
report concerns is unacceptable. We recognise that nurses
and midwives who raise a genuine concern and act with the
best of intentions and in line with the principles laid down in
this guidance are meeting their professional responsibilities
and keeping to the Code.

4 F
 ailure to report concerns may bring your fitness to
practise into question and put your registration at risk. If
you experience any negative reactions within your workplace
after raising a concern appropriately, you should contact
your professional body or trade union for support and advice.

5 In line with the Code, we expect nurses and midwives to work
with others to protect the health and wellbeing of those
in their care. As a result, this guidance applies to a wide
range of situations, not just where a concern relates to the
practice of individual nurses and midwives. Examples may
include the following.
5.1 Danger or risk to health and safety, such as where health
and safety rules or guidelines have been broken.
5.2 Issues to do with staff conduct, such as unprofessional
attitudes or behaviour, including concerns related to
equality and diversity.
5.3 Issues to do with delivering care involving nurses,
midwives or other staff members.
5.4 Issues to do with care in general, such as concerns over
resources, products, people, staffing or the organisation
as a whole.
5.5 Issues to do with the health of a colleague, which may
affect their ability to practise safely.
Nursing and Midwifery Council 5
 5.6 M
 isuse or unavailability of clinical equipment, including
lack of adequate training.
5.7 Financial malpractice, including criminal acts and fraud.
6 Y
 ou do not need to have all the facts to prove your concern
but you must have a reasonable belief that wrongdoing is
either happening now, took place in the past, or is likely to
happen in the future.

7 If you witness or suspect there is a risk to the safety

of people in your care and you consider that there is an
immediate risk of harm, you should report your concerns
straight away to the appropriate person or authority.

Nursing and midwifery students

8 T
 he principles in this guidance apply to nursing and midwifery
students in the same way that they apply to registered
nurses and midwives. To uphold these principles, you should
act as set out below in the following situations.
8.1 Inform your mentor, tutor or lecturer immediately if
you believe that you, a colleague or anyone else may be
putting someone at risk of harm.
8.2 S
 eek help immediately from an appropriately qualified
professional if someone for whom you are providing care
has suffered harm for any reason.
8.3 S
 eek help from your mentor, tutor or lecturer if people
indicate that they are unhappy about their care or
treatment.
9 W
 e recognise that it might not be easy for you to raise a
concern; you may not be sure what to do or the process may
seem quite daunting. If you want some advice at any stage,

6 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

 we recommend that you talk to your university tutor or
lecturer, your mentor, another registered nurse or midwife,
or the supervisor of midwives in your practice area. You can
also speak to your professional body, trade union or PCaW,
who can offer you valuable confidential advice and support.

The difference between raising a concern and

making a complaint
10 If you are raising a concern, you are worried generally about
an issue, wrongdoing or risk which affects others. You are
acting as a witness to what you have observed, or to risks
that have been reported to you, and are taking steps to
draw attention to a situation which could negatively affect
those in your care, staff or the organisation.
11 H
 owever, if you are making a complaint to your employer, you
are complaining about how you personally have been treated
at work (such as conditions of employment). In these
circumstances, you should follow your employer’s complaints
or grievance procedure.
12  If you are not sure what to do or cannot find the relevant
policy, you should get advice (see page 21).

Nursing and Midwifery Council 7

Respecting an individual’s right to confidentiality
13 T
 he Code states that people in your care have the right to
confidentiality and the right to expect that you only use
the information they have given to you for the purpose
for which it was given. You should only discuss information
with someone outside of the healthcare team if the
person in your care has agreed you can. In very exceptional
circumstances, you can pass on information without their
permission if you believe someone may be at risk of harm and
you are acting in their best interests.
14 T
 hese decisions are complex and you must assess each case
individually. Before reporting a concern which might reveal
someone’s identity, you should get advice (see page 21). You
can find more information in Confidentiality: NHS Code of
Practice (2003) and its supplementary code of practice on
public interest disclosures (2010). Both of these are available
on the Department of Health website. The principles of both
these publications can be applied equally to the independent
and voluntary sectors in healthcare.

Can I be guaranteed confidentiality when raising a

concern?
15 W
 e recommend that you give your name when raising
a concern. This makes it easier for your concern to be
investigated and is the best way for you to be protected
under the law. However, we recognise that there may be
circumstances when you would like to keep your identity
confidential. In this case, you should say so at the start.
16 Y
 ou should understand that there may be practical or legal
limits to this confidentiality where the concern cannot be
dealt with without revealing your identity, or that others may
guess who has raised the concern. If you raise your concern

8 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

 anonymously, it will be much more difficult for the matter to
be investigated, which in turn, affects public safety.

How do I raise a concern?

17 N
 ormally you will be able to raise your concern directly with
the person concerned or your line manager and, in many
instances, the matter will be easily dealt with. However, there
may be times when this approach fails and you need to raise
your concern through a more formal process. We outline the
various stages of this process below. They are based on the
tiered approach reflected in the Public Interest Disclosure
Act 1998 (PIDA) (see the section ‘What legislation is in place
to protect me?’ on page 19). We have included a flow chart
illustrating this process on pages 12 and 13.
18 W
 here possible, you should follow your employer’s policy on
raising concerns or whistleblowing. This should provide advice
on how to raise your concern and give details of a designated
person who has responsibility for dealing with concerns in
your organisation. Sometimes, if you are worried about how
or whether to raise your concern or if you cannot find the
policy, it can help to discuss things informally with a senior,
impartial member of staff. They should ideally be an NMC
registered nurse or midwife, such as one of the following.
18.1 Clinical supervisor.
18.2 Supervisor of midwives.
18.3 L
 ead nurse, lead midwife or other professional or
clinical lead.
18.4 University tutor or lecturer (if a student).
18.5 Mentor or practice placement manager (if a student).
18.6 H
 ealth and safety team (when the concern is about
health and safety).

Nursing and Midwifery Council 9

 18.7 R
 isk, quality assurance or clinical governance team
(when the issue is quality or risk).
19 Y
 our concerns may not be limited to the care of a particular
person, but about the overall standards of care or practice
in an area. In these cases, you may find it helpful to speak to
a clinical or professional lead (who may be a consultant, or
specialist nurse or midwife) as they will be concerned with
professional standards and quality of care, and so will be
interested in knowing if things are not as they should be.
20 A
 ‘lead professional’ has organisational responsibility for
the quality of nursing or midwifery practice, and so will
often investigate and work to settle concerns raised about
practice and risk in these areas. They also might be able to
help you better understand the standards or practice you
are concerned about and offer the support you might need
to raise your concerns.
21 It is also valuable to get advice on how to raise a concern
from a representative of your professional body, trade union
or PCaW. They have a wealth of expertise, and can provide
independent and confidential support during this process.

22 Immediate concerns
If you witness or suspect that there is a risk of immediate
harm to a person in your care, you should report your
concerns to the appropriate person or authority
immediately. You must act straightaway to protect their
safety.

10 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

Stage 1: Raising your concern with your
line manager
23 N
 ormally, you will be expected to raise your concern internally
first, such as with your line manager. You can do this verbally
or in writing. Be clear, honest and objective about the
reasons for your concern.
24 Y
 ou should keep a clear written record of your concern
and any steps that you have taken to deal with the matter
including who you raised the concern with and on what date,
and an outline of your concern.

25 W
 hile you should also keep a record of any written or verbal
communication that you send or receive from your employer,
be aware of the need to protect confidentiality. For example,
if you need to refer to an incident with a particular patient
or client, record details of the event and take appropriate
steps to maintain confidentiality.

Stage 2: Raising your concern with

a designated person
26 If for any reason you feel unable to raise your concern
with your line manager, you should raise your concern with
the designated person in your organisation. You should be
able to find out who this is by looking at your employer’s
raising concerns or whistleblowing policy. The designated
person will normally be someone who has been given special
responsibility and training in dealing with employees’
concerns. If you want your identity to remain confidential,
you should say so at this stage.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 11

Stages in raising concerns

I have a concern about the If there is an immediate risk

safety or wellbeing of of harm, report your
people in my care or in the concerns immediately to
environment in which I work the appropriate person or
authority

Stage 1: If you Stage 2: Concern

Raise your concern cannot Raise your concern not dealt
do this with a designated with
with your properly, or
line manager for person
whatever immediate
reason risk to
others
(or both)

If you feel unable to raise a

concern at any level within the
organisation

12 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

Key points
• Take immediate action.
• Protect client confidentiality.
• Refer to your employer’s whistleblowing policy.
• Keep an accurate record of your concerns and action taken.

Concern Stage 4:
Stage 3: You Take your concern
Take your not dealt should get
with advice further to a
concern further properly, or healthcare
to a higher level immediate (see below) regulatory
risk to organisation
others
(or both)

Getting advice
If you are not sure about whether or how to raise a concern
at any stage, you should get advice.
You can get independent, confidential advice from your
professional body, trade union or PCaW. Students can also
speak to their university tutor or mentor.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 13

Stage 3: Taking your concern to a higher level
27 If you have raised a concern with your line manager or with the
designated person within your organisation, but feel they have
not dealt with it properly, you should raise your concern with
someone more senior within your organisation. For example,
in the NHS you could take your concern to your department
manager, head of midwifery, director of nursing or chief
executive. You may also choose to do this from the start if, for
whatever reason, you feel unable to raise your concern with the
internal staff mentioned in stages 1 and 2.

Stage 4: Taking your concern to a regulatory

organisation or a helpline
28 If you have raised your concern internally but feel it has not
been dealt with properly, or if you feel unable to raise your
concern at any level in your organisation, you may want to
get help from outside your place of work. For example, if you
are a clinical leader, you may choose to do this if you feel your
concerns have not been dealt with adequately within your
organisation.
29 S
 o that your concern can be investigated and for your own
protection under current legislation (see page 19), you
should use a recognised organisation that is responsible for
investigating the issue. This could be a regulator of health or
social care services, if your concern is about a health or care
setting. If it is about individual professionals, then it could be a
regulator of health or social care professionals (see pages 22
to 23).
30 F
 or example, if you are working in England you may choose to
raise your concerns directly with the Care Quality Commission
(CQC), using the helpline they have set up to help staff raise
concerns about the health or social care provider they work
for. All information is treated in confidence and you don’t have

14 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

 to give your name. The CQC provides detailed guidance for
workers and service providers on their website, www.cqc.org.
uk/contact-us.
31 R
 egistrants in England can raise their concerns through the
NHS Whistleblowing Helpline. People working in the NHS and
social care sector can use this helpline to report concerns
about malpractice, wrongdoing, fraud or any other issues
that could undermine public confidence and threaten patient
safety. The service also provides advice and guidance for those
who don’t know what to do about their concerns, and can be
used by employees, employers and professional or trade bodies
through a free telephone hotline service, email or online forms.
You can get more information on the Whistleblowing Helpline
at www.wbhelpline.org.uk.
32 B
 efore reporting your concerns to any regulatory organisation
or hotline, we recommend that you get advice (see page 21).
This will help you to receive appropriate support and guidance
in these difficult circumstances. We also suggest you tell your
employer what action you are taking.

Raising your concern externally

33 Y
 ou should only consider this if you have tried all of the above
procedures and your concern has not been dealt with properly.
Raising your concern externally (for example to the media or
an MP) without clear evidence of first raising the concern
internally or with a regulatory organisation, would only be
considered appropriate and give you protection under PIDA
in the most extreme circumstances and if it could clearly be
shown that you were acting in the public interest. For more
details of PIDA, see the section ‘What legislation is in place to
protect me?’ on page 19.
34 If you are thinking of raising your concern externally, you
should always get advice from your professional body, trade
union or PCaW.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 15

The role of clinical leaders
35 W
 e recognise the important role that clinical leaders play
in raising concerns, particularly those who are nurses and
midwives. Promoting an open work environment in which
staff are accountable and encouraged to raise concerns
about the safety of people in their care will help identify and
prevent more problems, and will protect the public.

36 If you are a clinical leader or hold a position where others

may bring their concerns to you, you should do the following.
36.1 M
 ake sure appropriate systems for raising concerns
are in place and that all staff can access them.
Consider whether staff can gain access confidentially
to your organisation’s whistleblowing or raising
concerns policy.
36.2 M
 ake sure staff can see all concerns are taken
seriously, even if they are later seen to be unfounded.
36.3 T
 ell the employee who raised the concern how you
propose to handle it in line with your employer’s policies,
and give a timeframe in which you will get back to them,
both verbally and in writing.

35.4 Investigate concerns promptly and include a full and

objective assessment.

36.5 K
 eep the employee who raised the concern up to date
with what’s happening. This will give them and others
confidence in the system.
36.6 T
 ake action to deal with the concern and, record and
monitor this action.
36.7 M
 ake sure staff who raise concerns are protected
from unjustified criticism or actions.

16 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

 36.8 H
 ave processes in place to support employees raising
concerns. This support may need to be offered
confidentially from outside the organisation.
36.9 If harm has already been caused to a person in your
care, explain fully and promptly what has happened and
the likely outcomes. This duty is clearly supported by
the Code.
37 W
 e recognise that nurses and midwives in leadership
positions, or managers of nurses and midwives, are not
always in a position to deal with the concerns raised to
them, or may themselves feel that senior managers have
not done enough to sort out the matter. Clinical leaders can
get support and advice at all levels from professional bodies,
trade unions or PCaW. Also, guidance for employers on
putting whistleblowing arrangements in place, Speak up for
a healthy NHS (NHS, 2010), has been produced by the Social
Partnership Forum.

The role of employers

38 E
 mployers have a key role to play in the whistleblowing
process. In particular, NHS Employers supports NHS
organisations to encourage openness at work so all
staff can feel free to raise concerns in a reasonable and
responsible way, without fear of being victimised.
39 N
 HS Employers is an organisation which provides guidance
for employers in England. It helps them to put in place and
develop polices and procedures that are targeted at helping
NHS staff to report concerns about patient safety, or
other issues, appropriately. It works closely with the national
Whistleblowing Helpline which was launched in December
2011 to provide free, independent advice and support to NHS
staff. It was later extended to cover all staff and employers
working in the wider social care sector.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 17

40 N
 HS Employers recognises the importance of understanding
and being aware of the legislation to protect those who
raise concerns. A whole section of its website provides
guidance and resources to help employers to establish and
develop systems which encourage early intervention. This
also allows staff to feel confident enough to raise concerns
and for all members of staff to recognise this as good
professional practice.
41 T
 he website directs employers to guidance, legislation,
communication tools and frequently asked questions. It also
provides guidance and further support for staff when they
are considering whether to raise a concern.
42 F
 or more information, please see the Whistleblowing: Raising
concerns at work section on the NHS Employers’ website
at: www.nhsemployers.org/EmploymentPolicyAndPractice/
UKEmploymentpractice/raisingconcerns/Pages/
Whistleblowing.aspx.

43 E
 mployers can also refer to our publication Advice and
Information for employers of nurses and midwives (NMC,
2012). www.nmc-uk.org/Publications/Information-for-
employers/

18 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

What legislation is in place to protect me?
44 T
 he Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998) (PIDA) was
introduced to protect people who raise genuine concerns
about wrongdoing or malpractice in the workplace, when
they do so in good faith, are acting in the public interest and
are victimised or dismissed (or both) for doing so. The act
has a tiered approach to disclosures (whistleblowing) which
gives workers protection for raising a concern internally.
45 S
 ection 17 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act
2013 makes it clear that whistleblowing must be ‘in the
public interest’ if the Act is to offer protection.
46 A
 lso, there is protection for disclosures to all health and
social care regulatory bodies as set out in the Public
Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014.
Disclosures to the NMC under these provisions may be made
on:
“Matters relating to:
( a) the registration or regulation of a member of a
profession regulated by the Council; and
( b) any activities not covered by (a) in relation to which the
Council exercises its functions.”
47 F
 rom 6 April 2015 whistleblower protection will be extended
to students on an NMC-approved training course if they
make a ‘qualifying disclosure’ to us. This is under the
Protected Disclosures (Extension of Meaning of Worker)
Order 2015.
48 F
 rom 6 June 2014 under Schedule 1 of the Public Interest
Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order
(Northern Ireland) 2014, employees in Northern Ireland will

Nursing and Midwifery Council 19

 be protected from their employer if they make a ‘protected
disclosure’ to a designated body. As we are listed as a
designated body in Northern Ireland, employees there are
protected from action by their employer if they disclose to
us:
“Matters relating to:
( a) the registration and fitness to practise of a member of a
profession regulated by the Council; and
( b) any activities not covered by (a) in relation to which the
Council has functions.”
49 In exceptional circumstances, wider disclosures (for example
to an MP or the media) may also be protected. However,
before following these routes, we strongly recommend that
you get advice (see page 21).
50 Y
 ou can find more information about relevant legislation at
www.pcaw.co.uk/law/uklegislation.htm.

20 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

Where can I get help or advice?
Trade unions
Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
0345 772 6100
www.rcn.org.uk/raisingconcerns
Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
020 7312 3535
www.rcm.org.uk
UNISON
0845 355 0845
www.unison.org.uk
CPHVA/Unite
020 7611 2500
www.unitetheunion.org

Independent organisations
Public Concern at Work (PCaW)
020 7404 6609
www.pcaw.co.uk
Whistleblowing Helpline (England only)
08000 724 725
www.wbhelpline.org.uk
Medical Defence Union
0800 716 646
www.the-mdu.com
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
0845 270 2034
www.mddus.com

Nursing and Midwifery Council 21

Regulatory organisations
Regulators of healthcare professionals
The Nursing and Midwifery Council
020 7637 7181
www.nmc-uk.org
General Medical Council
Regulator for medical doctors throughout the UK in all
healthcare sectors
0161 923 6602
www.gmc-uk.org
Health and Care Professions Council
Regulator for the allied health professions and social workers in
England
0845 300 6184
www.hpc-uk.org
You can find a full list of other regulators of healthcare
professionals at
www.nmc-uk.org/patients-public/Other-healthcare-regulators

Regulators of health and social care services

These organisations regulate healthcare systems and
work settings.

England
Care Quality Commission
03000 616 161
www.cqc.org.uk
Ofsted
Regulator of education, early years and children’s social care
0300 123 1231
www.ofsted.gov.uk

22 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

Department of Health (England)
020 7210 4850
www.dh.gov.uk
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
020 7389 8030
www.professionalstandards.org.uk
Monitor
020 7340 2400
www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk

Wales
Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
Responsible for social services and care homes.
www.cssiw.org.uk
Health Inspectorate Wales
Responsible for all NHS-funded care (including independent
hospitals).
0300 062 8163
www.hiw.org.uk
Department for Health and Social Services (Wales)
English 0845 010 3300
Welsh 0845 010 4400
www.wales.gov.uk

Scotland
Care Inspectorate
0845 600 9527
www.careinspectorate.com
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Edinburgh 0131 623 4300
Glasgow 0141 225 6999
www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org

Nursing and Midwifery Council 23

The Scottish Government
0131 556 8400 or 0845 7741 741
www.scotland.gov.uk

Northern Ireland
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority Northern Ireland
028 9051 7500
www.rqia.org.uk
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Northern
Ireland)
028 9052 0500
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk

Crown dependencies
Jersey
States of Jersey, Health and Social Services Department
01534 442 000
www.gov. je

Guernsey
States of Guernsey, Health and Social Services Department
01481 725 241
www.gov.gg

Isle of Man
Isle of Man Government, Department of Health
01624 642 608
www.gov.im

24 Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives

Further reading
You should read this guidance together with the following.

NMC publications
•  he Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
T
for nurses and midwives (2015).
• A dvice and information for employers of nurses and midwives
(2014).
External publications
• B
 eing open: communicating patient safety incidents with
patients, their families and carers (2009) National Patient
Safety Organisation.
• C
 onfidentiality: NHS Code of Practice (2003) and
supplementary code of practice on public interest disclosures
(2010) Department of Health.
• N
 HS Constitution (2009) Department of Health.
• C
 are and Support Statutory Guidance (2014) issued by the
Department of Health under the Care Act 2014.
• S
 afeguarding adults: A national framework of standards for
good practice and outcomes in adult protection work (2005)
Association of Directors of Social Services (Northern Ireland,
Wales and England).
• S
 peak up for a healthy NHS (2010) Department of Health, the
Social Partnership Forum and Public Concern at Work.
• B
 ridging the Gap Summary Report (2013) Whistleblowing
Helpline.

Nursing and Midwifery Council 25

23 Portland Place, London W1B 1PZ
T +44 20 7637 7181 F +44 20 7436 2924
www.nmc-uk.org
The nursing and midwifery regulator for England,
Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Islands
Registered charity in England and Wales (1091434) and in Scotland (SC038362)

26 Raising and escalating concerns: Guidance for nurses and midwives