Barrow hospital trust becomes first in the country to launch whistleblowing app

Employees and volunteers at Furness General Hospital can now download the new software to report issues they feel should be addressed.

It is hoped the move, introduced on Friday, will further improve safety on the wards of the Barrow hospital.

Heather Bruce, freedom to speak up guardian at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, FGH's parent organisation, said: "It is really important that staff not only feel able to raise concerns if they see something that they think isn’t right or that may compromise safe patient care, but that they know they will be listened to and supported by the trust if they do raise a concern.

"This is absolutely what we are about at UHMBT and that is why we are thinking of as many ways as possible to make it easier for staff to raise any concerns they may have."

Mrs Bruce, a radiographer, added: "The purpose of the app is to give staff another way of speaking up if they want to.

"Everyone has their phone with them at all times these days and use them to do most things so it seemed a logical next step for us."

In 2015 UHMBT became one of the first trusts in the country to appoint a whistleblowing guardian, a role that was introduced to the NHS following the Francis Report into failings identified as part of the Mid Staffordshire care scandal.

The new post was designed to encourage staff to step forward and identify concerns and near-misses that could affect the safety of patients without fear it could affect their jobs or future prospects.

Mrs Bruce received 50 reports from staff within her first year.

The app aims to make sure all staff have equal opportunity to blow the whistle - even those without ready access to emails.

David Walker, trust medical director, said: "The very best organisations in the world encourage an open culture where staff have no fear in raising concerns, and we believe that the use of this app is another step forward to ensuring that our trust leads the way in supporting staff whenever they need it and making it as easy as possible for them to raise concerns.

“The launch of this app is just one of the ways we are using technology differently to benefit both our staff and patients."

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