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uk whistleblowing law is extremely weak. i think many people don't realise that. you often read in the media that whistleblowers are protected by the law. they're not. there is no protection for whistleblowers under uk law. no—one is legally required to protect whistleblowers. all that whistleblowers are entitled to under uk whistleblowing law is to make a retrospective claim forfinancial compensation, long, long after the fact and long, long after they've been seriously injured as a result of reprisal. and for example, in the case of dr macanovic, an nhs whistleblower, a relatively recent case, an employment tribunal found her to be a genuine whistleblower who was entirely blameless, who was unfairly
of the hospital where lucy letby worked, tony chambers, offering support to whistleblowers. the video was recorded just a year before the nurse murdered herfirst victim. we have heard from a number of consultants at the hospital who say their warnings were ignored, while the trust's attitide to whistleblowers has caused concern in this case. i've got two pledges to make. the first is as a chief exec, i pledge to support a culture where the front line staff are supported in raising concerns. and more importantly, me listening to them when they do. the second pledge is to go back to my grassroots and spend the day as a health care assistant in one of our busy care of the elderly wards. dr minh alexander is a retired consultant psychiatrist and nhs whistleblower. she's been telling us about the potential obstacles whistleblowers currently face.
and nhs whistleblower. that's interesting. many questions now being posed as to what security, what support was given to the whistle—blowers. what was your experience? whistle-blowers. what was your exoerience?_ whistle-blowers. what was your exerience? ,, , , , whistle-blowers. what was your exerience? ,, , , experience? very briefly, because my case is ancient _ experience? very briefly, because my case is ancient history _ experience? very briefly, because my case is ancient history and _ experience? very briefly, because my case is ancient history and is - experience? very briefly, because my case is ancient history and is very - case is ancient history and is very similar to case is ancient history and is very similarto many case is ancient history and is very similar to many other cases, i made concerns about very serious incidents in the handling, such as homicides, a rape and other deaths. and external cooperation cooperated one of my concerns about the homicides. that was a long time ago and it's only one of many nhs whistle—blowing cases. the key issue is that these things keep happening over and over again and chillingly,
and you can watch a special bbc panorama programme, "lucy letby: the nurse who killed" on bbc iplayer. let's speak now to professorjames walker, who was clinical director of maternity investigations at the health services investigation branch between 2018 and this year, and minh alexander, retired consultant psychiatrist and nhs whistleblower. thank you both for being on the programme. james walker first of all. consultant paediatricians as we have heard raised concerns about lucy letby with the managers, managers repeatedly failed to investigate. that beggars belief, doesn't it when we are talking about the deaths of 13 babies? yes. doesn't it when we are talking about the deaths of 13 babies?— the deaths of 13 babies? yes, it does but it _ the deaths of 13 babies? yes, it does but it is _ the deaths of 13 babies? yes, it does but it is not _ the deaths of 13 babies? yes, it does but it is not unusual, - the deaths of 13 babies? yes, it does but it is not unusual, the l does but it is not unusual, the doctors have good evidence from their own site, from what they have seen and feel but they don't have