By WhistleblowersUK Health and Social Care team
A highlight of the Labour Party Conference was Andy Burnham’s pledge to turn around the UK’s social care system. We support this ambitious undertaking and ahead of the fully costed budget we will be sharing our evidence of the cost savings that could be leveraged if the government priortise whistleblowing through the introduction of an Office of the Whistleblower (OWB).
The OWB would not just save money but it would save lives and help prevent poverty. Andy Burnham has repeatedly stated his support for whistleblowers who have bravely spoken out in Manchester and the truth about the grooming gangs came out. He has told WhistleblowersUK that he supports whistleblowers and whistleblowing.
Now is the time to demonstrate this, afterall, using his own words, “it’s deeds not words” that count.
Currently social care costs the taxpayer in excess of £43billion per year but the true cost is likely higher. But the care received by too many residents is shoddy at best as we continue to hear from whistleblowing carers who work in these homes and for providers of homecare.
These, are as the PM pointed out, are workers surviving on subsistance pay that does not recognise their skills or reward their compassion and who are frequently too afraid or unable to follow up concerns they raise. Where they do they face the might of the well funded care homes and local authorities who use taxpayers money to fund lawyers to crush and frighten them. In some cases they have sunk to deploying private detectives to follow them….. Legal assistance is beyond most care workers and we have to rely on goodwill and NGO’s like WhistleblowersUK.
We all hope to grow old and live a fulfilling and dignified life but retirment into care for some is life in hell with little chance of escape unless a whistleblower is brave enough to put their own, and their families wellbeing on the line for the residents. Those in government who continue to pretend that the Public Interest Disclosure Act protects careworkers are letting us and the PM down. PIDA as it’s known turns a concern into a fight in the employment tribunal for compensation. Most cases that get to a final hearing fair not because the whistleblower lied but because of the process. The ET punishes whistleblowers and allows those who cause harm to escape.
An Office of the Whistleblower would end this:
- providing a safe and confidential platform to report concerns and protect whistleblowers from detriment
- alert regulators and police to potential crimes and also identify patterns that come from having a central point for reporting concerns
- deliver clear and consistent messaging and information so that everyone knows how to respond to whistleblowers
- have the powers to apply sanctions and penalites to wrongdoers – without fear or favour
We cannot keep relying on the press to report the abuse meted out in carehomes and in other forms of care and the NHS. Every story is a scandal but worse it exposes the impact of fear on everyone involved as reported by Camilla Turner in the Telegraph almost a year ago.
Copywrite – Telegraph 30th October 2025 – Reporter Camilla Turner
We challenge the Prime Minister to walk the walk and admit our amendments to the Public Office Authority Bill to introduce an Office Of The Whistleblower and begin long overdue reform that will protect whistleblowers, protect the public interest and save the taxpayer money.
This is an opportunity not to be missed to transform the lives of our most vulnerable people and prevent huge scale fraud, injustice and other misconduct over night.
https://wbuk.org/add-your-name-back-the-call-for-an-office-of-the-whistleblower/
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67901/documents/8852
If you would like help or support to raise concerns about a social setting or service please see our website – You are not alone. www.wbuk.org
