Whistleblowing in Scotland: Public Interest & Protections

Whistleblowing is a vital safeguard for workplaces, public services, and society as a whole. When workers speak up about wrongdoing, malpractice, or risks to the public, they perform an act of genuine public interest — and the law recognises this. This course provides all staff working in Scottish organisations with a thorough grounding in what whistleblowing means in practice, which disclosures are protected, and how the legal framework established by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) applies in Scotland today.

Scotland has additional obligations layered on top of the UK-wide framework, most notably in the National Health Service. The NHS Scotland Whistleblowing Standards, introduced following the recommendations of the Sturrock Review, place legally binding duties on NHS Scotland boards to handle concerns fairly and transparently. Whether you work in healthcare, local government, education, or the private sector, understanding these obligations helps you recognise wrongdoing, act with confidence, and know your rights if you do speak up.

This is the All Staff course in a two-course set designed for Scottish organisations. It covers the foundations every worker needs: the legislation, what qualifies as a protected disclosure, how to raise a concern through the right channels, what protections you are entitled to, and what to do if you feel you have been treated unfairly as a result of whistleblowing. Managers and those with responsibility for handling concerns should also complete the companion Manager and Lead course in this set.