Report a concern if you are a member of staff

Page last updated: 9 June 2023
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If you’re employed by an organisation that we regulate and you have concerns about the care being provided by your employer, we want you to tell us. Your information is very important in helping us form a picture of how well the service you work for cares for all the people who use it.

People who raise concerns about the care provided by their employer are sometimes called ‘whistleblowers’. In law, whistleblowers are people who raise their concerns in a certain way and may receive protection in any employment dispute.

All organisations that provide care must have whistleblowing procedures and must make them available to their employees. Follow your employer’s procedures if you have any concerns about care.

We don’t have any powers to protect you from action taken against you by your employer. However, if you’re involved in an employment tribunal in the future, the fact that you told us about your concerns may help you to claim for unfair dismissal.

How to raise concerns about poor care you've seen

Before contacting us, you may want to:

  • speak to your line manager or a senior member of staff about your concerns.
  • read your employer's whistleblowing policy which will give you information on what to do next.

If you do not feel like you can talk to someone in your organisation, read our quick guide to whistleblowing or guidance for workers which gives helpful advice on speaking out about poor care and what protection you will have from the law.

We have also produced a document explaining to providers of services why they should have a whistleblowing policy and the benefits of encouraging workers to raise concerns.

Whistleblowing: Guidance for providers (pdf, 132.31kB, English)

Tell us about your concerns now

Other ways to contact us

If you can't use our online form, you can also email us or use the details on our contact us page.

Your privacy

The information you give us will be dealt with in confidence and you can raise concerns anonymously.

If you provide us with your contact details, we may use this information to:

  • respond to you - if you have asked us to
  • contact you - if we need further details.

We will treat your personal information in confidence but there may be times when we need to share it with others. This includes when:

  • we believe a vulnerable person is at risk of harm
  • a serious crime has been committed
  • another organisation needs to take action to ensure the safety and quality of care.

You can find out more about our approach to confidentiality in our Privacy statement.

Tell us about your care now

You can also contact us using the details below:

Care Quality Commission
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk