Raising serious concerns safely and without retaliation.
Document owner: Max Pocock, Lead Consultant Version: 1.0 Issued: 25 July 2026 Review due: 25 July 2027, or earlier after a serious concern or material legal change Applies to: Managed Services Ltd and people working for or with it, subject to the legal status of each relationship
Managed Services Ltd encourages honest reporting of suspected wrongdoing and prohibits retaliation against a person who raises or supports a concern in good faith.
1. Purpose and distinction
This policy covers concerns in the public interest about suspected wrongdoing, risk or concealment. Examples include crime, bribery, fraud, breach of legal duty, danger to health and safety, environmental harm, safeguarding failure, serious misuse of information or deliberate concealment.
A personal complaint about an individual's own treatment may be better handled under the Complaints Handling Process or the relevant contractual route. A concern may involve both routes and will not be rejected merely because it was initially labelled incorrectly.
Statutory whistleblowing protection depends on the facts and the person's legal status. This policy does not promise that every report is a protected disclosure, but company protection from retaliation applies to honest concerns within scope.
2. How to raise a concern
A concern may be raised verbally or in writing to Max Pocock at max.pocock@managed-group.co.uk. No special form or proof is required. It is helpful to explain what happened, when, who may be affected, available evidence and any immediate risk.
If the concern involves Max Pocock or cannot safely be raised internally, the reporter should use an appropriate independent route, which may include the relevant client contact, regulator, prescribed person, legal adviser, police or other competent authority. The correct route depends on the subject and jurisdiction.
Anonymous concerns will be considered, although anonymity may limit enquiries or feedback. Confidentiality will be protected as far as reasonably possible; it cannot be guaranteed where disclosure is required for safety, fairness or law.
3. Response
Managed Services Ltd will:
- assess immediate safety, security and evidence needs;
- identify conflicts and appoint an appropriate person or outside adviser;
- acknowledge and define the concern where contact is possible;
- investigate proportionately without prejudging;
- keep the reporter informed where lawful and practical;
- take corrective, contractual, reporting or referral action; and
- record the outcome and learning.
The reporter is not expected to investigate, access unauthorised information or confront anyone.
4. Protection and conduct
Retaliation, threats, disadvantage or attempts to silence an honest reporter are prohibited. A person who believes they have suffered retaliation should report it immediately through a safe route.
Knowingly false or malicious allegations may lead to contractual or other action, but an unsubstantiated concern raised honestly will not. Rights to make a legally protected disclosure are not restricted by this policy or a confidentiality term.
5. Records and review
Concern records will be restricted, accurate and retained only as required for investigation, legal, contractual and learning purposes. Personal information will be handled under applicable privacy requirements.
Themes, response timeliness, retaliation risk and corrective action will be reviewed without unnecessary identification.
6. Document control
This policy provides a company route and does not replace emergency services, safeguarding referral, regulatory reporting or independent legal advice where those are appropriate.