WHISTLEBLOWER champions will be installed in every NHS board to protect staff raising concerns about the quality and delivery of care.

Plans by the Scottish Government will see an Independent National Officer appointed to ensure cases are properly dealt with.

The move has been welcomed by nursing and medical leaders who fear staff are frightened to speak up for fear of losing their job.

Health Secretary, Shona Robison, announced the new posts aimed at giving staff confidence their concerns will be addressed.

She said: “I am confident that NHS Scotland has robust whistleblowing procedures in place but I want to go further and embed an honest and open reporting culture, where all staff have the confidence to speak up without fear, and with the knowledge that any genuine concern will be treated seriously and investigated properly.”

The move is in response to a review Freedom to Speak Up, chaired by Sir Robert Francis QC into the treatment of NHS whistleblowers from across the UK.

Ms Robison added: “We have many of the recommendations from Sir Robert’s review already in place – such as an integrated and consistent national policy and an external confidential alert line.

“However I want us to do even more and that is why I am announcing the creation of a new role, that will scrutinise the way health boards deal with whistleblowing cases.”

Nursing leaders have been calling for action for several years to ensure staff can have faith in the system.

Norman Provan, Royal College of Nursing Associate Director for Employment Relations said: “Large numbers of nurses have genuine concerns about their ability to provide a safe and good quality service because of a lack of resources, according to both our own and NHS Scotland’s staff surveys.

“Yet, in many situations, nurses and others do not feel able to raise these concerns, or that it is worth doing so.”

The RCN raised the issue with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon and called for health boards to be held to account.

Doctors have stated they are worried that raising concerns would have implications for them personally and have called for safeguards to be in place.

Dr Peter Bennie, chair of the BMA in Scotland said: "No-one should be victimised for raising a concern. It often takes a huge amount of courage, but doctors have both the right and duty to speak out, and they should be supported to do so.

"We must ensure that there is an environment in which those who have genuine concerns are listened to and safeguarded and where staff know that by raising concerns they can contribute towards positive change.”