a wicked problem? whistleblowing in healthcare organisations; comment on “cultures of silence and cultures of voice: the role of whistleblowing in healthcare organisations”

mannion and davies’ article recognises whistleblowing as an important means of identifying quality and safety issues in healthcare organisations. while ‘voice’ is a useful lens through which to examine whistleblowing, it also obscures a shifting pattern of uncertain ‘truths.’ by contextualising cultures which support or impede whislteblowing at an organisational level, two issues are overlooked; the power of wider institutional interests to silence those who might raise the alarm and changing ideas about what constitutes adequate care. a broader contextualisation of whistleblowing might illuminate further facets of this multi-dimensional problem.