A Wicked Problem? Whistleblowing in Healthcare Organisations; Comment on “Cultures of Silence And Cultures of Voice: The Role of Whistleblowing in Healthcare Organisations”

Document Type : Commentary

Author

Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

Abstract

Mannion and Davies’ article recognises whistleblowing as an important means of identifying quality and safety issues in healthcare organisations. While ‘voice’ is a useful lens through which to examine whistleblowing, it also obscures a shifting pattern of uncertain ‘truths.’ By contextualising cultures which support or impede whislteblowing at an organisational level, two issues are overlooked; the power of wider institutional interests to silence those who might raise the alarm and changing ideas about what constitutes adequate care. A broader contextualisation of whistleblowing might illuminate further facets of this multi-dimensional problem.

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