NHS Highland ordered to apologise over whistleblowing failings amid vascular service concerns

NHS Highland has been told to improve its whistleblowing system to make sure staff can raise concerns easily.

It comes after the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman found that the health board did not take reasonable action to manage risks within its vascular service.

The whistleblower raised concerns about problems within the service and their potential impact on patients and staff.

The whistleblower also faced difficulties accessing NHS Highland’s whistleblowing procedure and was not asked about their support needs when they first raised their concerns.

The investigation covered the period from November 2023 to July 2025 and involved interviews with NHS Highland staff, as well as independent professional advice.

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint that NHS Highland had not taken reasonable action to manage risks in the vascular service.

It also found that the health board had not handled the whistleblower’s concerns in line with the National Whistleblowing Standards.

However, a separate complaint that NHS Highland’s own investigation had failed to make reasonable recommendations was not upheld.

The board has been ordered to apologise for failing to make its whistleblowing process reasonably accessible, not asking about the complainant’s support needs and failing to provide consistent updates.

The investigation also raised wider concerns about the ability of NHS Highland to manage risks in a fragile specialist service.

NHS Highland has been asked to strengthen its systems for identifying cases involving potential patient harm, ensure it meets its Duty of Candour requirements and improve how service changes are communicated.

The board must also ensure its whistleblowing systems and governance arrangements comply with the National Whistleblowing Standards and data protection legislation.

The report read: “As a result of my findings, I am asking NHS Highland to implement a number of recommendations that aim to support learning and improvement in concern handling and ensure robust governance regarding potential patient harm and Duty of Candour.

“While I recognise the significant support that other boards have provided to NHS Highland from 2024 onwards, I am concerned about the effectiveness of the system that supported, but also limited, NHS Highland’s access to mutual aid.

“In view of the significant systemic barriers to NHS Highland managing the risks identified, I shared a draft of this report with the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland and sought their comments on a recommendation that aims to ensure that consideration is given to establishing an effective and reliable framework in place for mutual aid that prioritises timely, fair and equitable access to care for patients in NHS Scotland.”

NHS Highland has been contacted for comment.