Annual Healthcare Regulators’ Whistleblowing Report 2023 published

The General Optical Council (GOC) has joined eight other healthcare regulators to publish an annual report on whistleblowing disclosures. 

Between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, there were a total of 15 whistleblowing disclosures raised to the GOC. 

All 15 disclosures received were placed into our fitness to practise triage system for formal assessment. Of the 15 disclosures: 

• four investigations were opened with three ongoing and one closed at case examiner stage;
• six cases were closed as either consent was not given by the referrer for us to progress further, we were not provided with sufficient information to identify the referrer to obtain relevant evidence or the evidence collated did not support the allegation being raised;
• two cases did not meet our acceptance criteria for onward referral; 
• two cases were referred for consideration by another body; and 
• one case was considered outside our jurisdiction as a regulator.  

We recognise there can be barriers to speaking up. In 2021, we published ‘Speaking up’ guidance to help our registrants address some of the difficulties they have encountered when speaking up, or when thinking of doing so 

The Whistleblowing disclosures report 2023 is published jointly by the GOC, General Medical Council, General Chiropractic Council, General Dental Council, General Osteopathic Council, General Pharmaceutical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Social Work England. 

Read the full Whistleblowing disclosures report 2023.