The whistleblower stages model in British National Health Service Inquiries

Abstract

Purpose

This article applies the whistleblowing stages model to whistleblowing journeys as seen in British National Health Service (NHS) Inquiries.

Design/methodology/approach

It provides a qualitative analysis of Inquiry Reports since 2001, using Interpretive Content Analysis to allocate material to stages.

Findings

It is found that the Inquiry Reports show a wide variety of reporting mechanisms, but that most persons initially report internally. It seems to confirm recent suggestions that WB is often not a “one off” or simple and linear process, but a protracted process. While the simple stages model may be appropriate for individual “whistle-blowing incident” by a single whistleblower, it needs to be revised for the protracted process of raising concerns in a variety of ways by different people as shown in the Inquiry Reports.

Research limitations/implications

The evidence is confined to the publicly available material that was presented in the Inquiry Reports.

Practical implications

It provides a template to apply to cases of whistleblowing, and provides some baseline material.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to explore the whistleblowing stages model using qualitative material to one setting over time.

Citation

Powell, M. (2022), "The whistleblower stages model in British National Health Service Inquiries", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 314-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-10-2020-0388