The policy is designed to deal with concerns raised in relation to the specific issues which are in the public interest and are detailed in paragraph 3 below, and which fall outside the scope of other University policies and procedures. The policy is not intended to apply to personal grievances concerning an individual's terms and conditions of employment, or other aspects of the working relationship, complaints of inappropriate behaviour under the dignity at work policy, or disciplinary matters, except where such issues raise concerns in the public interest. Such complaints will be dealt with under existing procedures on grievance, discipline and misconduct in research. Details of these procedures will be found in the relevant staff handbook and/or in Statute C. They are also published on the web.
The policy may be used to deal with specific concerns which are in the public interest and specifically where a staff member has a reasonable belief that one of the following has occurred or is likely to occur:
- a criminal offence
- failure to comply with legal obligations
- financial or non-financial maladministration or malpractice or impropriety or fraud
- academic or professional malpractice
- a risk to the health or safety of any individual
- environmental damage
- a miscarriage of justice
- sexual harassment (unwanted conduct of a sexual nature.)
- attempts to suppress or conceal any information relating to any of the above.
If in the course of investigation any concern raised in relation to the above matters appears to the investigator to relate more appropriately to existing procedures on grievance, discipline or misconduct in research, those procedures will be invoked, instead of or, where appropriate, in addition to this procedure.