Whistleblower petition gets 25,000 signatures

Readers' comments (14)

• Anonymous | 28-Apr-2009 12:39 pm

  This Nurse had the courage to report what she knew was happening to our elderly people .
  Pity I never had the courage to speak out instead I walked away worried that I would not get another job

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• Anonymous | 28-Apr-2009 3:50 pm

  As long as reasonable attempts have been made to draw failings in patient care to the relevant managers then it it acceptable to move on until somebody listens. The NMC are short sighted and have gone too far with their sanctions. All this will do is deter others from reporting bad pratice. As a Ward Manager during to 90s I brought failings to the attention of my managers and I ended up being victimised. As a last resort, I would do what Margaret did.

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• Anonymous | 28-Apr-2009 3:50 pm

  As long as reasonable attempts have been made to draw failings in patient care to the relevant managers then it it acceptable to move on until somebody listens. The NMC are short sighted and have gone too far with their sanctions. All this will do is deter others from reporting bad pratice. As a Ward Manager during to 90s I brought failings to the attention of my managers and I ended up being victimised. As a last resort, I would do what Margaret did.

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 8:04 am

  I have reported substandard practice. I have always followed the proper channels and the managerial response has been uniformly negative.
  
  I have been demoted, ostracised and my concerns have met a myriad of responses: they have been ignored, dismissed out-of-hand or rejected.
  
  I have never had one of my concerns addressed or even investigated. I am a Practice Development Nurse--the issues were not raised out of a difference in personalities or technique; they were brought to the table for a failure to conform to evidence based practice.
  
  The disdain with which managers hold the "coal face" nurses is palpable and unending. Many nurses would develop alternate plans, had enough information of the bigger picture, to address the problems/issues.
  
  Managers do not respect whistleblowers.

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 8:58 am

  My account may not be as eloquent as the postings on here but the passion with which I write is burning a hole in my keyboard.
  
  I wasn't listened to. As a consequence the next student to go into the home continued to see the appalling care given to the clients, all of whom were elderly and with learning disabilities.
  
  Now, as a qualified nurse of some experience I would be shouting from the roof tops if I wasn't listened to. Why should nurses be so frightened of losing jobs and being bullied and ostracised by management and peers?
  
  Margaret Haywood stood up, she has been counted. Where are all the others that were involved in this; the management, carers and nurses?? Get out the documentation and get them before the NMC and Trust management and get them ALL struck off.
  
  Margaret, I applaud you for your strength of courage. May whistleblowing continue and may the Trusts employ management with boldness and balls to tackle, head on, all issues of neglect, bullying and general lack of care and evidence based practice.

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 10:11 am

  I think whistle blowers are not very well protected due to high hierarchy. Chief exec cover their back or rather cover the reputation of their hospital by making sure that managers do not take unnecessary complains from members of staff.Therefore, dismissed complain will be more common than internal investigation. Also, there are some manager who do not deserve their position, for some of them it is just a higher pay rate and not fulfilling the requirement of their competencies because they just don't know how to manage these situations, whereas some brilliant staff nurse who deserve this position, humbly fight high standards in their profession. Unfortunately patients are always in the middle hoping to get good care whilst Chief Exec cover their back to ensure ongoing funding for the trust.Maybe whistle blowers should directly report to Health care commission or NMC or RCN???

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• Jayne Muir | 29-Apr-2009 12:36 pm

  I firmly support this nurse and view the NMC as narrowminded for condoning the care delivered by staff on this ward. As someone who received poor care in the NHS and as a nurse I was able to raise my concerns vociferously. The elderly and dying could not and this nurse advocated for them. The standards of nursing care delivered in the NHS and private sectors by a few unscrupulous staff is becomingmore and more prevalent. Nurses need to return to care and set standards appropriately. REINSTATE THIS NURSE

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 1:24 pm

  NMC has got this badly wrong. Nurses every day are concerned about their work environments and patient safety because of increasing demands, targets, reduced staffing and 100% bed occupancy, hospital acquired infections, etc.....
  I an sorry that margaret lost her job but i cannot understand why she didnot put it in writing and involve her union as this would have given her protection. I hope that there is enough pressure exerted on NMC to reverse their decision.
  It is ironic that the NMC has published guidance for the care of older people outlining their principles. Margaret stated on radio 5 that she had alerted her concerns to the charge nurse and ward manager what action if any has been taken towards them?

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 2:18 pm

  This nurse should not be struck off.
  Her seniors of all disciplines should be identified and their explanation sought for allowing this situation to get to the stage of such public exposure. They are equally accountable to the Trust and their professional bodies. Will they face similar sanctions for their part in this shameful state of affairs? Unlikely I think.
  
  I have a good mind to withhold my yearly penance to the MNC for their spectacular failure to suuport this nurse. This body of 'my peers' do not have my support here for thier heavy handed actions

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• Anonymous | 29-Apr-2009 2:18 pm

  I think the decision made for Ms Haywood is appaling. I am a student nurse in my third year, it scares me to think that if I did see neglect on wards that when I reported this I would be the one to be punished and the one not listened to.
  The NMC has it completly wrong and with the next generation of nurses not having much confidence in them, who do we put our trust in.

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• Anonymous | 1-May-2009 10:38 am

  I too feel that this nurse has been treated appallingly by a very heavy handed NMC. Are the management nurses and if so will they be held to account by the NMC for the patient care that they have failed to protect? I hope that the RCN has stopped "considering an appeal" and are vigorously campaingning to reinstate this nurse's registration.

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  David Genese | 3-May-2009 11:12 pm

  The NMC has made a serious error of judgement. Disciplinary action may be appropriate but removing Margaret from the Register is not. For me she stands shoulder to shoulder with Graham Pink who did so much to highlight poor standards of care in the 90's.
  
  What a pity so many nurses making comments here do not feel safe enough to add their names.

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• Anonymous | 18-May-2009 8:33 pm

  I have been a Registered Mental Health Nurse for almost forty years. During this time, I have seen many changes, many of which have been for the better. However, the change and the cost of the change from the GNC to the NMC, has been the worst thing that has happened to nursing and nurses, since the Crimean war.
  The NMC does not care about nurses, nursing or the public and the majority of those who serve on the NMC are unqualified for the position. They care only about feathering their own nests. They appear to know or care very little for justice, fairness, equality or the rule of law. They convene Boards which appear to reflect the bias of the Council and bent on rubber stamping the Council's obscenities.
  I am not surprise that this whistle blowing nurse has been persecuted and hounded by the Council. What this lady reported, is a daily occurance in the NHS and many more such situations, some even worse. The NMC, like the NHS, is peopled by people who lack integrity and do not have the best interest of nurses, nursing, or the public.
  I like most nurses have no confidence in the Council or any of the institutions in place to protect us from corruption, unfairness and injustice.
  
  Anon!

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• Anonymous | 18-May-2009 8:56 pm

  In light of the disclosures of our MPs behaviour, I am not surprised that Michael Parkinson, a man for whom I had so much respect, supports the morons who have terrorised Ms. Haywood.
  If anyone in this country deserves an award from the Queen for services rendered to nursing and the British Public, Ms. Haywood deserves one. I am, for the first time in my life, ashamed to be a British subject/citizen. However, to be associated with Ms. Haywood and to be a colleague of hers, I am very proud. She is a great nurse and to be a nurse like her, I only pray that I had her courage to expose the indignities and other wrong doings I too have witnessed.
  
  GOD BLESS Ms. HAYWOOD! GOD BLESS NURSING AND ALL NURSES!
  
  Anon!

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