Raising concerns

Global Care is committed to maintaining a culture of openness, honesty, and accountability. This policy provides a safe and confidential way for staff, volunteers, and others working with Global Care to raise serious concerns — often referred to as whistleblowing — without fear of victimisation or disadvantage.

Members of the public are encouraged to use our Complaints procedure to report any concerns.

Purpose of the Policy

This policy enables individuals to report concerns about serious misconduct or malpractice, including:

• Fraud, corruption, or criminal activity
• Abuse or neglect of service users
• Misuse of Global Care’s resources
• Health and safety risks
• Breaches of policy or legal obligations
• Attempts to conceal wrongdoing

What’s Not Covered

• Personal employment issues (covered by the Grievance Procedure)
• Matters already resolved through other formal procedures
• Appeals, unless the process was compromised

How to Raise a Concern

Concerns can be raised in confidence through three options:

1. Line Manager – the preferred first step
2. Chief Executive Officer – if the line manager is involved or unsuitable
3. Chair of Trustees – if other routes are not appropriate

Concerns should be raised clearly and with as much detail as possible. Support from a colleague or union representative is available.

Global Care’s Response

• Concerns are acknowledged within 10 working days
• Investigations may be internal or external, or referred to authorities
• Outcomes are shared with the person raising the concern, unless confidentiality prevents this

Protection and Confidentiality

• Individuals raising concerns in good faith are protected from harassment or victimisation
• Confidentiality is respected unless disclosure is legally required
• Anonymous concerns are considered, but may be harder to investigate

Misuse of the Policy

• Malicious or knowingly false allegations may lead to disciplinary action
• Genuine concerns, even if unproven, are protected

Oversight and Reporting

All concerns and outcomes are reported to the Chief Executive Officer and Trustees. The identity of the informant is protected unless the concern was raised in bad faith.

Read the full policy below.

1. Introduction

Members of staff and volunteers may be the first to notice anything that is seriously wrong within Global Care. However, they might not say anything because they think this would be disloyal or might be worried that their suspicions are not justified. They might also worry that they or someone else might be victimised if they voice their concerns.

Global Care is committed to being open, honest and accountable. We want and encourage staff and others who work with and for the organisation to be able to raise in good faith any concerns they may have.

Staff and volunteers who have serious concerns that standards are not being met or adhered to are encouraged to raise these and will be protected when they do this. This paper sets out Global Care’s policy on confidential reporting (whistleblowing) in the organisation and sets out the process for doing this. It also aims to assure anyone who does this in good faith will be able to do so in confidence and will not be victimised, discriminated against or disadvantaged in any way as a result.

This policy applies to all permanent and temporary employees of Global Care and to all volunteers who work for Global Care in any capacity. It also applies to external consultants, partner agencies, contractors or agency staff. There is no minimum qualifying period for use of this policy.

2. What is covered by this policy?

This policy is intended to deal with serious or sensitive concerns about malpractice such as:

• An unlawful act
• Miscarriages of justice
• Fraud or corruption
• The physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect of users of Global Care’s services
• Unauthorised use of Global Care money or property
• Anyone abusing their position for any unauthorised use or for personal gain
• Actions or behaviour which endanger the health and safety of another
• Anyone deliberately not adhering to Global Care policies and procedures or any legal obligations
• Serious damage to or neglect of Global Care property or the environment
• A criminal offence
• Anyone deliberately concealing information relating to any of the above

Note: These are examples and any other serious matter would also justify use of this policy.

3. What is not covered by this policy?

• This policy cannot be used to deal with matters which are covered by other Global Care policies or procedures.
• It does not cover private grievances, including complaints about individual employment matters which should be progressed through the Grievance Procedure.
• It should not be used to raise issues that have already been dealt with and concluded through other formal procedures.
• This is not an appeal mechanism for other procedures unless exceptionally, you believe that the process followed in that procedure was compromised.

4. How should a concern be raised?

Global Care regards matters raised under this policy as very important in identifying and remedying malpractice. The earlier the concern is raised, the easier it will be to take effective action. The procedures to be followed are as follows:

Option 1: Normally employees or volunteers should raise concerns with their line manager immediately when they believe wrongdoing is occurring (or has happened or is likely to happen) in the workplace. This can be done either face to face at a meeting or in writing. In both, the employee should make it clear that they are raising the matter under this policy.

Option 2: If the employee or volunteer feels for any reason that it is not appropriate to raise the matter with their line manager (e.g. if the line manager is involved, complicit or implicated), the employee should raise the matter with the Chief Executive Officer. Again, this can either be done face to face at a meeting or in writing. It needs to be made clear that the matter is being raised under this policy.

Option 3: If the employee or volunteer feels unable to raise the matter in accordance with either of the above options, they should raise the matter directly with the Chair of the Trustees.

When reporting a concern it is important to provide as much information and detail as possible. Wherever possible, this should include the full names of the individual or persons involved or know what is happening, dates and any relevant documentation.

Note: Any matter which is raised under this policy and should have been raised under another policy/procedure (e.g. grievance) will be re-directed to the more appropriate procedure.

5. Support

An employee may want to discuss their concern with a colleague or trade union official first and may then find it easier to raise a concern if others share this with them. (This could be useful where the employee doesn’t want to reveal her/his identity.) If the employee chooses to raise their concern at a meeting, they may be accompanied by a colleague or trade union representative.

6. How will Global Care respond?

The way that Global Care responds will depend upon the nature of the matter. It will first carry out enquiries to decide whether a full investigation is required. If it is, this may be carried out by a director (who is not involved or implicated in any way), an external person, or through the disciplinary process. Alternatively, the matter may be referred to:

• The police
• Our external auditors
• An independent investigator

If the matter can be handled under any other policy/procedure, this will be passed on to the relevant manager and the staff member will be informed of this.

It may be possible to resolve some concerns without carrying out an investigation. If urgent action needs to be taken, this will be done before carrying out an investigation.

Within 10 working days of an employee raising a concern, the person receiving the concern will:

• acknowledge that a concern has been received
• explain how the matter will be handled, and
• advise of what support will be made available

Any further timescales will depend upon the nature of the issue raised and the work that will be necessary to deal with and resolve it.

Other than in exceptional circumstances or where to do so would infringe the confidentiality of another person, the person who has dealt with the concern will notify the person who raised the matter of the outcome of any investigation.

7. Protecting the employee

If an allegation is true and made in good faith, employees have nothing to fear but it is recognised that deciding to follow this policy and procedure is not easy. Global Care will take appropriate action to protect the employee raising the matter and to ensure that they are not harassed, victimised or bullied as a result.

The concerns raised will be kept confidential if that is what the staff member wants. In this circumstance, her/his name or position will not be revealed without the staff member’s permission unless Global Care is required to do so by law. (If this is or is likely to be the case, it will be explained to the member of staff at the time so that s/he can decide whether s/he still wishes to proceed.)

Only the person(s) with whom the issue has been raised or is/are investigating the matter will know the staff member’s identity except:

• where Global Care is under a legal obligation to disclose this
• on a strictly confidential basis to a professionally qualified solicitor or accountant for the purpose of seeking advice
• to the police or other statutory body

If there are any other circumstances in which it will be necessary to reveal the identity of the informant, this would be discussed with her/him first and under no circumstances will s/he find that her/his identity has been revealed other than in the circumstances described above, without the knowledge of the member of staff concerned.

The member of staff should be assured that any allegation which they make in good faith will not affect or be affected by other unrelated matters (e.g. promotion, disciplinary action, selection for redundancy, etc.).

8. Anonymous allegations

Although all allegations made under this policy will be seriously considered, because of the protection which Global Care provides, it is hoped that anyone who wishes to raise a concern under this policy will give their name.

Although the matter will still be taken seriously even if it is raised anonymously, it may not be possible to investigate or fully investigate the matter if insufficient information is provided and there is no way of going back to the informant for more information or clarification.

9. Untrue allegations or allegations in bad faith

Anyone making an allegation in good faith which the informant believes to be true is still entitled to the protections described above, even if this is not subsequently found to be the case.

However, anyone making an allegation:

• frivolously,
• maliciously,
• for personal gain,
• which they knew or believed to be untrue,
• was made in bad faith or
• where the correct procedure for dealing with such matters (i.e. this procedure) was not followed,

will be subjected to disciplinary action. Serious instances may be regarded as gross misconduct.

10. Reporting

All allegations made under this policy, together with the outcome of any investigation and subsequent action will be reported to the Chief Executive Officer and to the Global Care Trustees at their next  following meeting. The identity of the informant will not be included in the report unless the allegations were made maliciously, in bad faith, when the informant knew or believed them to be untrue or where the correct procedure was not followed.