Whistleblowing: still not an issue of social policy, but an issue for social policy

Abstract

PurposeThis paper revisits the claim of Vinten (1993) in this journal that whistleblowing is achieving prominence as a question of social policy.Design/methodology/approachIt examines literature from social and health policy to focus on the importance of whistleblowing and the policies that may encourage whistleblowing. However, it finds little extant academic literature in social policy, and so it turns to examine documents on whistleblowing in the British National Health Service such as NHS Inquiries, Parliamentary Debates, Parliamentary Committee Reports and government documents.FindingsIt is found that whistleblowing has not achieved prominence as a question of social policy in nearly 30 years since Vinten's argument. However, it argues that whistleblowing should be an issue for social policy as it is clear that whistleblowing can save lives.Practical implicationsIt supports the growing Parliamentary agenda for legislative change for whistleblowers.Originality/valueThis is one of the first articles on whistleblowing in a Social Policy journal for nearly 30 years and provides an argument that the discipline should pay more attention to a topic that can save lives.