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Speak Up

The Role of the Confidential Contact

The role of a Confidential Contact within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is to provide informal signposting and support to staff who have a whistleblowing concern.

They provide a listening ear, information about whistleblowing policy and procedures, and signposting to other more formal sources of support, such as their trade union.

Confidential Contacts are able to support staff appropriately. They know the possibilities for a way forward, and are able to present options that inform the member of staff to allow them to make their own decisions.

The role of a Confidential Contact is in addition to their substantive role.

Confidential Contacts will not make judgements about anyone who accesses them.

You can view / download our handy ‘Confidential Contacts – A Guide For Staff’ PDF.

Maintaining confidentiality

The nature and content of discussions with a confidential contact are private and personal to the member of staff, and as such, will not be discussed with anyone else without the express permission of the individual involved.

However, there are limits to this confidentiality. For example, if the member of staff, or others, are being subjected to unlawful behaviours or harm, the Confidential Contact has a duty of care to report this.

If you speak to a Confidential Contact, your name and contact details are only known to the Contact who is providing support, unless you request of give your approval for this information to be shared.

Any notes from discussions with employees will be destroyed once the monitoring process is complete.

You are welcome to email our generic inbox ggc.confidential.contacts@nhs.scot which is checked 1 x per day. 

The concern will be picked up by a Confidential Contact who will reply to your email as quickly as possible.  Alternatively, you can approach a Confidential Contact direct.  

The names and contact details of Confidential Contacts are listed below:

Bernice Adusu – Registered Staff Nurse, Discharge Lounge in QEUH
Claire O’Neill - Lead Nurse and Clinical Service Manager Palliative Care
Debbie MacIntyre, Clinical Services Manager 
Drew Smithsimmons – Healthcare Chaplain, Royal Hospital for Children
Dona Grimwood – PA 
Gill Hannah – Clinical Risk – Paediatrics and Neonates
Gillian Macdivitt – Senior Charge Nurse, Critical Care
Helena Jackson – Head of Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act Programme
Irene Whyte – Health Records Manager
Jazair Saghir – Associate Specialist
Kevin Curran – Healthcare Support Worker/Student Nurse
Paul Roy-McLead, Inpatient Support Nurse
Dr Richard Kennedy – Consultant in Genitourinary and HIV Medicine
Rachel Walker – Senior Charge Nurse, Theatre Coordinator
Rachel Wyllie, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist (in Pain Management)
Ross Andrew McCready – Mental Health Sector Administrator
Sajid Farid, Consultant
Vivienne Davidson – Lead Nurse, Professional Regulation and Policy

Members of staff who have a whistleblowing concern are encouraged to make contact with the person above who they feel is most appropriate for them. Often, the selection is random, but staff seeking support can approach a contact in another division for confidentiality reasons, or if they feel more comfortable with this.

Confidential contacts do not represent or provide advice to staff, and will not act as intermediaries in disputes. They do not provide any counselling or therapy services. They also do not accompany individuals in hearings or meetings about their complaint.

Speak up. Your voice has power, please use it.
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If Something Isn’t Right, Talk To Us

If you are a member of staff and you need to raise a concern about patient safety, working conditions or wrongdoing, you should firstly speak to your manager, supervisor or clinical director, either informally or formally.

We recognise that raising any issue is daunting. This is why we have Confidential Contacts who offer a safe space for colleagues to discuss their concerns confidentially and be signposted to the appropriate next steps for help.  You’ll find details of who to contact on our Confidential Contacts page.

The new National Whistleblowing Standards for the NHS in Scotland came into force on 1st April 2021 and apply to anyone working to deliver NHS services. It’s important that you know what options you have to raise a concern in confidence and in a protected way.

Further information on how to speak up

More Speak Up Resources

You can access the relevant resources using the buttons below.

NHSGGC Users Guide to Whistleblowing
NHS Scotland
Whistleblowing Policy
National Whistleblowing Standards
Speak Up Resources
Pack for Line Managers
Whistleblowing Process – Information for Operational Managers and Investigators

Submit a Whistleblowing Concern

To submit a formal whistleblowing concern, please email ggc.whistleblowing@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

Information on Conduct and Complaints

INWO – Our Findings

The website below provides reports containing the findings and conclusions of the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer.

inwo.spso.org.uk/our-findings

Staff Experience 2023/2024

Questions and Answers

Brian Auld,
Non-Executive Board Member and Whistleblowing Champion

“My pledge as your Whistleblowing Champion is to ensure that we create the best environment that allows you to be courageous and take that first step with raising any concerns that you may have.”

I joined the Board of NHS GGC in July this year as your new Whistleblowing Champion to build upon the great work that has already been done to introduce the National Whistleblowing Standards across all areas of the organisation. As a way of an introduction, I am a Chartered Environmental Health Officer by background, and I have worked mainly in regulation and enforcement across the public sector in Scotland, including several years in the NHS. As you begin to get to know me through my role as Whistleblowing Champion, you will see that I am a passionate advocate for speaking up, and I believe that every single person, no matter what your role is within NHS GGC, must have the opportunity to talk about anything that concerns them about the services we deliver or the assets that we are responsible for. We all have a role to play with ensuring that we keep our patients and service users safe and provide the best healthcare experience that we can at all times.

I am confident that we have the right processes in place to work with you and have a positive conversation if you believe that something is wrong or not quite right. I know from my own personal experience how challenging and difficult it can be to take that very first step in speaking up. I have led investigations into Whistleblowing, and I have also been a whistleblower when I believed that something that I had seen was wrong. Although my own experience was extremely positive, I know that for some people who whistleblow, that this has not always been their own experience. I want you to feel that you have been listened to and heard and have absolute confidence and trust in us that we will take all the necessary steps to independently investigate and report on our findings in an open and transparent way whilst maintaining confidentiality. Above all, I want you to feel empowered to take that first step and speak up.

Kim Donald,
Corporate Services Manager – Governance and Whistleblowing Lead

“I pledge to listen without judgement and protect colleagues throughout the process”

As Corporate Services Manager – Governance, part of my role is to oversee the whistleblowing process within NHSGGC and ensure we comply with the national standards that can be found here National Whistleblowing Standards | INWO (spso.org.uk).   It is extremely important as an organisation that we continue to learn from feedback, and whistleblowing is a key element of that. 

It may be helpful for colleagues to know that, as an organisation, we are legally obligated to protect anyone who speaks up from detriment, and that confidentiality is paramount during the process.  We take this very seriously, and I work closely with HR colleagues on what this would look like to ensure that we protect staff in a meaningful way.  

We also offer support via our Confidential Contacts Confidential Contacts – NHSGGC who can be contacted for advice on the process before raising concerns, and/or support during the process.  We have taken time to ensure we have a diverse group of colleagues providing this support across the Board, and I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Confidential Contacts for their ongoing support and commitment.

Further support and resources are available via:

The Spiritual Care Service – NHSGGC

Peer Support Network – NHSGGC

INWO advice line | INWO (spso.org.uk)

Support Materials

Posters and leaflets

If you require printed materials, either additional copies of the Speak Up posters, or the leaflet, please contact: ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk