Whistle blowing or not?

[socialworker]

Here's the situation. I am working through an agency for an independent non profit that is under contract to provide social services for a council. I noticed that a particular change in council policy has had, in my opinion, a bad effect on certain vulnerable people. The Non profit does not make the policy, it implements it under contract. I suspect lots of other social workers disapprove of this policy also, but probably do nto raise it as the ethos has changed over the last 10 years and raising one's head over the parapet is not done.

I raised a case where I think someone has been adversely affected by this policy, with the council officer in charge of quality assurance in social services. I have not made allegations against any individual, it is purely bout the policy. I never considered it whistlblowing as such, because there is no corruption or abuse or illegality involved, it is just ill thought through and has unintended consequences. But it may result in some embarrassment if this policy turns out to be wrong, as I believe, because when it was brought in no one fully considered the impact on certain vulnerable people.

The officer in question called me in for a chat, she is someone I trust, and she gave me the whistleblowing policy of the Council to read, and suggested I look at the Public Protection website.

The council's w/b policy states that employees should raise matters through their line managers. Of course I am not an employee, neither is the council my clientco.

I should add there are people in the Council who dont like me very much for historic reasons. But the Council has no direct say in who the Non profit employs or gets in as a contractor. However the team manager I work to may be miffed that I didnt go to her with this. the reason I didnt was that it is Council policy, not the SE;s policy, and I didnt want to embroil any SE permie staff.

My thoughts are at the moment that I should go to my line manager tomorrow and say look I didnt come to you with this because I didnt want to put you in an awkward position, but here it is and Im sorry if it wil cause any problems. The policy does to some extent cut down the amount of work the SE has to do in reviewing clients. However if the care breaks down and someone is abused as an indirect result of the policy, the amount of work for the team is vastly increased compared with what they would have had to do if the care had not broken down.

What would you do?

[Old Greg]

Here's the situation. I am working through an agency for an independent non profit that is under contract to provide social services for a council. I noticed that a particular change in council policy has had, in my opinion, a bad effect on certain vulnerable people. The Non profit does not make the policy, it implements it under contract. I suspect lots of other social workers disapprove of this policy also, but probably do nto raise it as the ethos has changed over the last 10 years and raising one's head over the parapet is not done.

I raised a case where I think someone has been adversely affected by this policy, with the council officer in charge of quality assurance in social services. I have not made allegations against any individual, it is purely bout the policy. I never considered it whistlblowing as such, because there is no corruption or abuse or illegality involved, it is just ill thought through and has unintended consequences. But it may result in some embarrassment if this policy turns out to be wrong, as I believe, because when it was brought in no one fully considered the impact on certain vulnerable people.

The officer in question called me in for a chat, she is someone I trust, and she gave me the whistleblowing policy of the Council to read, and suggested I look at the Public Protection website.

The council's w/b policy states that employees should raise matters through their line managers. Of course I am not an employee, neither is the council my clientco.

I should add there are people in the Council who dont like me very much for historic reasons. But the Council has no direct say in who the Non profit employs or gets in as a contractor. However the team manager I work to may be miffed that I didnt go to her with this. the reason I didnt was that it is Council policy, not the SE;s policy, and I didnt want to embroil any SE permie staff.

My thoughts are at the moment that I should go to my line manager tomorrow and say look I didnt come to you with this because I didnt want to put you in an awkward position, but here it is and Im sorry if it wil cause any problems. The policy does to some extent cut down the amount of work the SE has to do in reviewing clients. However if the care breaks down and someone is abused as an indirect result of the policy, the amount of work for the team is vastly increased compared with what they would have had to do if the care had not broken down.

What would you do?

Are you on a professional register and if so what does your professional code of conduct state?

I work in healthcare and regularly come across high risk to patient safety processes (principally in IT implementations). But I;n not a registered professional so it's a bit easier.

I advise the appropriate person and then let them get on with it. Sometimes I'm a bit more forceful if I think a patient may come to serious harm. Sometimes my concerns are acted on and sometimes not, but when not this is usually because an accountable individual has a difference of opinion.

For me to whistle blow, there would need to be a deliberate attempt to cause harm or to cover up, or gross negligence. And I would expect to be canned and not to work their again

[eek]

Are you on a professional register and if so what does your professional code of conduct state?

I work in healthcare and regularly come across high risk to patient safety processes (principally in IT implementations). But I;n not a registered professional so it's a bit easier.

I advise the appropriate person and then let them get on with it. Sometimes I'm a bit more forceful if I think a patient may come to serious harm. Sometimes my concerns are acted on and sometimes not, but when not this is usually because an accountable individual has a difference of opinion.

For me to whistle blow, there would need to be a deliberate attempt to cause harm or to cover up, or gross negligence. And I would expect to be canned and not to work there again

FTFY in mudskipper mode.

More seriously the issues are:-

1) Do you have a professional code of conduct you need to follow..
2) where do you live. If you live in the council area then surely your complaint is a local rather than professional issue and you are being polite raising it with council workers rather than councillors.
3) your manager may be annoyed, they may not. However, you had a existing more appropriate contact so its hardly surprising you went there.
4) would you have done any different if you had found out the policy while not working at the agency?

[socialworker]

Are you on a professional register and if so what does your professional code of conduct state?

I work in healthcare and regularly come across high risk to patient safety processes (principally in IT implementations). But I;n not a registered professional so it's a bit easier.

I advise the appropriate person and then let them get on with it. Sometimes I'm a bit more forceful if I think a patient may come to serious harm. Sometimes my concerns are acted on and sometimes not, but when not this is usually because an accountable individual has a difference of opinion.

For me to whistle blow, there would need to be a deliberate attempt to cause harm or to cover up, or gross negligence. And I would expect to be canned and not to work their again

Well I was thinking I had done that, I.e. advised the appropriate person and let them get on with it. I didnt consider it whistleblowing which to my mind is about serious wrongdoing. In my view it is a case of unintended consequences of a policy change. Id be interested to know wher you think the line falls.

[Ticktock]

It's not whistle blowing to report it the appropriate people within the organisation (the Council in this case) who could act upon it.

It would be whistle blowing to report it publicly.

[BrilloPad]

What would you do?

To anyone who answered anything other than "carry on invoicing" please leave now and hand your usernames in on the way out.

[socialworker]

As a registered sw I have duty to report abuse, this not about , no duty to report policies we dont agree with or it would never stop!
I suppose Ive always had a big mouth, otherwise Id probably be higher up the greasy pole! Depends if Ive miffed the Tm I guess.

[Old Greg]

Well I was thinking I had done that, I.e. advised the appropriate person and let them get on with it. I didnt consider it whistleblowing which to my mind is about serious wrongdoing. In my view it is a case of unintended consequences of a policy change. Id be interested to know wher you think the line falls.

I work in a project, not an operational environment, so I have well structured risk escalation routes.

If you feel professionally compromised, you should probably ensure that the individual with operational responsibility for the service which you believe will be impacted is informed, and then you've done your duty IMO. If you feel that service users or individuals who do not even make it into the service will come to serious harm, then you may want to talk to your professional body (if one exists) for guidance.

[Old Greg]

To anyone who answered anything other than "carry on invoicing" please leave now and hand your usernames in on the way out.

Considering this may - as far as we know - relate to a child at risk of abduction because her feckless parents leave her alone at night and go out to restaurants when on holiday, that is a strange attitude to take.

[SueEllen]

As a registered sw I have duty to report abuse, this not about , no duty to report policies we dont agree with or it would never stop!

If it's not abuse just mention it to the higher up as a risk that would cause them future problems.