The contents of whistleblowing/confidential reporting procedures in the UK: Some lessons from empirical research

The purpose of this article is to explain why whistleblowing is important and to examine the recent empirical research relating to such confidential reporting/whistleblowing procedures in the UK.

This article refers to the 1999 IRS Employment Trends/Public Concern at Work survey of public and private sector organisations, together with the work conducted in local government, further and higher education, schools and National Health Service (NHS) Trusts by researchers at Middlesex University between 2000 and 2003.

The article establishes the prevalence of whistleblowing procedures, why they were introduced and the extent of trade union involvement. It identifies who can use these procedures, the types of concern that can be raised and who investigates them. Other issues discussed include: the need for confidentiality; the problems of reprisal and malicious allegations; the availability of advice and assistance and the existence of feedback. The article also describes how information about whistleblowing procedures is disseminated, who has overall responsibility for such a procedure within organisations and the extent of monitoring and review.

Overall the article suggests that public sector organisations have responded positively to the pressures to introduce whistleblowing procedures. Further empirical work needs to be carried out in order to ascertain the extent to which private sector bodies have introduced such procedures.

This article presents research findings about whistleblowing procedures with observations about good practice and recommendations for the future.