However, the results of a new survey from the
Medical Defence Unionshow that 40% said their concerns were not dealt with to their satisfaction.
Reasons for this included that the doctor was ignored, told nothing could be done or not taken seriously.
The highest number of complaints were about a lack of resources or equipment (66%), problems with policies or systems (47%), poor
conduct or performance of a colleague (46%) and inadequate premises or resources (45%).
Dr Sally Old,
MDUmedico-legal adviser said:
“Much media attention in the wake of the Francis report into Mid Staffordshire hospital has focussed on the willingness of healthcare staff to raise concerns about poor standards of care. It is encouraging that only a small minority of doctors in our survey reported any barriers to reporting issues.
"This reflects our experience from the many calls we receive to our advice line from doctors at all stages of their careers. We find they take their responsibility to protect patients very seriously and don’t just ignore any problems they encounter.
“Calls often centre on patient safety incidents and working practices, including inadequate training, cover or handover arrangements, individual or team workloads, and employers not replacing medical colleagues who leave or retire.
"It is vital that, when they do raise concerns, doctors feel supported and that they will not suffer personally or professionally as a result. The challenge for employers is to create a culture of openness in which all healthcare staff are able to act in patient's interests without fear of adverse repercussions."
Of 470 doctors polled by the MDU, 259 (55%) thought that doctors were more willing to raise concerns nowadays, while over half of respondents (53%) had raised concerns, such as about the conduct of a colleague or inadequate resources.
14% of respondents said they had encountered barriers to reporting concerns.
These included pressure from colleagues or management, concerns that their career might be adversely affected, or just generally feeling isolated and unsupported.