In all organisations there are times when individuals have concerns about what is happening at work.
Usually these concerns are easily resolved. However, when they are about unlawful conduct, financial or professional malpractice or dangers to the public or the environment, it can be difficult to know what to do.
For staff this can be particularly difficult as they may be uneasy about raising concerns that impact on their colleagues, especially when these may only be suspicions.
The Trust supports and encourages its staff to raise such issues, believing that establishing and maintaining quality services is helped by the identification and investigation of any issues that might threaten service delivery or staff wellbeing. The Trust Board would rather staff raised a matter when it is just a concern rather than wait for proof.
AWP's policy sets out a range of methods to help staff raise these concerns in confidence, including specifically identified senior managers trained to deal with such issues and ultimately to a Non Executive Director with particular responsibility for dealing with issues raised by whistleblowers.
Staff, service users and members of the public should be assured that any concerns raised will be thoroughly and objectively investigated in a transparent and comprehensive manner.
Should service users or members of the public have any concerns about our services they should raise them in the first instance with our PALS team.