Final Report > Chapter 26: The Safety of Care > Overcoming the barriers to openness > Incentives to report

Incentives to report

39 We propose a system of measures to encourage healthcare professionals to report sentinel events. The incentives, which should be reflected in healthcare professionals' contracts and in the rules of professional bodies, should include:

• Immunity from disciplinary action by the employer for healthcare professionals who report a sentinel event within 48 hours, except where they themselves have committed a criminal offence.
• Immunity from disciplinary action by professional bodies for healthcare professionals who report a sentinel event within 48 hours, except where they themselves have committed a criminal offence.
• An option to report on a confidential basis, unless the public interest demands otherwise.
• The possibility of disciplinary action against a healthcare professional by the employer or the relevant professional body if a sentinel event is covered up or not reported.