Northern Ireland bodies have made “notable progress” in handling whistleblowers but there “remains scope for improving culture”, according to the head of the NI Audit Office.
A new report has evaluated mechanisms put in place by organisations including central government departments, local councils and health trusts to deal with concerns raised.
The Comptroller and Auditor General Dorinnia Carville’s report on Raising Concerns in the Northern Ireland Public Sector follows a number of high-profile cases associated with raising concerns in recent years.
The report released on Friday notes that more than 700 concerns have been raised across the public sector in the last five years.
The largest category of classified concerns relates to potential fraud or maladministration.
In cases where investigations were completed, only 10% of the concerns raised were upheld.
All government departments now have updated policies and a designated officer in place to deal with whistleblowing, which was seen as positive.
However, areas for improvement were also identified, including the need for development of specialised, investigative skills, to ensure that all concerns are appropriately treated.
The report also calls for more sharing of good practice and reflection on what works between organisations, and stronger leadership across public sector organisations on raising concerns.
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