2024 healthcare regulators whistleblowing report published

The General Medical Council (GMC) has today published the annual report on whistleblowing disclosures, alongside eight other health and social care professional regulators.

The report shows that, between April 2023 and March this year, 60 concerns were raised with the GMC by whistleblowers, up from 48 in the previous year. In 2021/22 the number was 62.

Of the 60 concerns raised, 23 were by doctors, 14 by other healthcare professionals and 23 were anonymous.

All but one of the 60 were reviewed by the GMC’s fitness to practise team. Of those:

• 49 were closed after an initial assessment
• 10 resulted in either a preliminary or full investigation, of which half have been closed and half are still going through the investigation process.

Of those closed after an initial assessment or a preliminary or full investigation, reasons for closure included:

• the disclosure was being or had already been handled locally
• advice was given to the discloser
• the disclosure was outside the GMC’s remit, for example a local employment dispute
• no concerns were found from the information provided

Concerns raised included a variety of alleged issues, including staff structures, professional misconduct and individual dishonesty.

One whistleblowing concern was handled by the GMC’s registration and revalidation team. It was referred on to an alternative body.