1. Whistleblowing policy

1.1We are committed to conducting our business with honesty and integrity, and we expect all staff to maintain high standards in accordance with our Quality Policy, professional code of conduct, programme procedures, health and safety, equality and diversity, safeguarding, leadership and management and finance policies, etc. However, all organisations face the risk of things going wrong from time to time, or of unknowingly harbouring illegal or unethical conduct. A culture of openness and accountability is essential in order to prevent such situations occurring or to address them when they do occur.

1.2The aims of this policy are:

(a)To encourage staff to report suspected wrongdoing as soon as possible, in the knowledge that their concerns will be taken seriously and investigated as appropriate, and that their confidentiality will be respected.

(b)To provide staff with guidance as to how to raise those concerns.

(c)To reassure staff that they should be able to raise genuine concerns in good faith without fear of reprisals, even if they turn out to be mistaken.

1.3This policy takes account of the Whistleblowing Arrangements Code of Practice issued by the British Standards Institute and Public Concern at Work.

What is whistleblowing?

1.4Whistleblowing is the disclosure of information which relates to suspected wrongdoing or dangers at work.  This may include:

(a)criminal activity;

(b)miscarriages of justice;

(c)danger to health and safety;

(d)damage to the environment;

(e)failure to comply with any legal or professional obligation or regulatory requirements;

(f)financial fraud or mismanagement;

(g)negligence;

(h)breach of our internal policies and procedures [including our Code of Conduct];

(i)conduct likely to damage our reputation;

(j)unauthorised disclosure of confidential information;

(k)unauthorised changes to hours of work;

(l)unauthorised holidays, sickness leave;

(m)the deliberate concealment of any of the above matters.

 

1.5A whistleblower is a person who raises a genuine concern in good faith relating to any of the above. If you have any genuine concerns related to suspected wrongdoing or danger affecting any of our activities (a whistleblowing concern) you should report it under this policy.

1.6This policy should not be used for complaints relating to your own personal circumstances, such as the way you have been treated at work. In those cases, you should use the Grievance Procedure or Harassment and Bullying Policy as appropriate.

1.7If you are uncertain whether something is within the scope of this policy you should seek advice from the Centre Manager or Trustees, whose contact details are at the end of this policy.

Raising a whistleblowing concern

1.8We hope that in many cases you will be able to raise any concerns with the Centre Manager. You may tell them in person or put the matter in writing if you prefer. They may be able to agree a way of resolving your concern quickly and effectively. In some cases they may refer the matter to the Trustees. If the issue concerns the Centre Manager the matter should be reported to the Trustees.

1.9Where you feel that the Centre Manager has not addressed your concern, or you prefer not to raise it with them for any reason, you should contact The Chair of Trustees.

Contact details are set out at the end of this policy.

1.10The Centre Manager or Chair of Trustees will arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss your concern. You may bring a colleague or union representative to any meetings under this policy. Your companion must respect the confidentiality of your disclosure and any subsequent investigation.

1.11We will take down a written summary of your concern and provide you with a copy after the meeting. We will also aim to give you an indication of how we propose to deal with the matter.

Confidentiality

1.12We hope that staff will feel able to voice whistleblowing concerns openly under this policy. However, if you want to raise your concern confidentially, we will make every effort to keep your identity secret. If it is necessary for anyone investigating your concern to know your identity, we will discuss this with you.

1.13We do not encourage staff to make disclosures anonymously. Proper investigation may be more difficult or impossible if we cannot obtain further information from you. It is also more difficult to establish whether any allegations are credible and have been made in good faith. Whistleblowers who are concerned about possible reprisals if their identity is revealed should come forward to the Centre Manager or Chair of Trustees and appropriate measures can then be taken to preserve confidentiality. If you are in any doubt you can seek advice from our HR Support services or the independent whistleblowing charity, Public Concern at Work, who offer a confidential helpline.

 

 

 

External disclosures

1.14The aim of this policy is to provide an internal mechanism for reporting, investigating and remedying any wrongdoing in the workplace. In most cases you should not find it necessary to alert anyone externally.

1.15The law recognises that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for you to report your concerns to an external body such as a regulator. It will very rarely if ever be appropriate to alert the media. We strongly encourage you to seek advice before reporting a concern to anyone external. The independent whistleblowing charity, Public Concern at Work, operates a confidential helpline. They also have a list of prescribed regulators for reporting certain types of concern. Their contact details are at the end of this policy.

1.16Whistleblowing concerns usually relate to the conduct of our staff, but they may sometimes relate to the actions of a third party, such as a customer, supplier or service provider. The law allows you to raise a concern in good faith with a third party, where you reasonably believe it relates mainly to their actions or something that is legally their responsibility. However, we encourage you to report such concerns internally first. You should contact the Centre Manager or one of our Trustees for guidance.

Investigation and outcome

1.17Once you have raised a concern, we will carry out an initial assessment to determine the scope of any investigation. We will inform you of the outcome of our assessment. You may be required to attend additional meetings in order to provide further information.

1.18In some cases we may appoint an investigator or team of investigators including staff with relevant experience of investigations or specialist knowledge of the subject matter. The investigator(s) may make recommendations for change to enable us to minimise the risk of future wrongdoing.

1.19We will aim to keep you informed of the progress of the investigation and its likely timescale. However, sometimes the need for confidentiality may prevent us giving you specific details of the investigation or any disciplinary action taken as a result. You should treat any information about the investigation as confidential.

1.20If we conclude that a whistleblower has made false allegations maliciously, in bad faith or with a view to personal gain, the whistleblower will be subject to disciplinary action.

If you are not satisfied

1.21While we cannot always guarantee the outcome you are seeking, we will try to deal with your concern fairly and in an appropriate way. By using this policy, you can help us to achieve this.

1.22If you are not happy with the way in which your concern has been handled, you can raise it with one of the key contacts below. Alternatively, you may contact external auditors. Contact details are set out at the end of this policy.

 

 

 

Protection and support for whistleblowers

1.23It is understandable that whistleblowers are sometimes worried about possible repercussions. We aim to encourage openness and will support staff who raise genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken.

1.24Staff must not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result of raising a concern in good faith. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform the Centre Manager immediately. If the matter is not remedied you should raise it formally using our Grievance Procedure.

1.25Staff must not threaten or retaliate against whistleblowers in any way. Anyone involved in such conduct will be subject to disciplinary action and these matters reported accordingly.

Responsibility for the success of this policy

1.26The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for this policy, and for reviewing the effectiveness of actions taken in response to concerns raised under this policy.

1.27The Whistleblowing Officer has day-to-day operational responsibility for this policy, and must ensure that all managers and other staff who may deal with concerns or investigations under this policy receive regular and appropriate training.

1.28The Whistleblowing Officer/Centre Manager, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees should review this policy from a legal and operational perspective at least once a year.

1.29All staff are responsible for the success of this policy and should ensure that they use it to disclose any suspected danger or wrongdoing. Staff are invited to comment on this policy and suggest ways in which it might be improved. Comments, suggestions and queries should be addressed to the Centre Manager.

 

 

Contacts

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Whistleblowing Officer

Gail Dunn

Centre Manager

01522 801556

Gail.dunn@abbeyaccesstraining.co.uk

 

Chair of Trustees

Fay Smith

Chair of Trustees

07779 537468

Fay.smith1@ntlworld.com

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HR Support

Chris Moses

PD Solutions

01529 305056

p.d.solutions@zen.co.uk

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Public Concern at Work

(Independent whistleblowing charity)

Helpline: (020) 7404 6609

E-mail: whistle@pcaw.co.uk

Website: www.pcaw.co.uk