Doctors and nurses who discover problems which put patients at risk are being encouraged to blow the whistle on their colleagues.

Health bosses in Sussex hope new guidelines will encourage workers to raise concerns as early as possible and reveal the culprits to managers.

Brighton Health Care NHS Trust, which runs four hospitals in the town, wants to introduce the guidelines to support those staff who have concerns about patient care, negligence, health and safety or corruption.

Trust personnel director Louise Potts said: "All employees have a responsibility to draw to the attention of their manager any matters of concern so they can be resolved quickly. Most concerns can be resolved easily in this manner.

"However, the trust recognises there can be occasions when employees will become concerned about matters concerning serious malpractice. In such cases it can be unclear what steps should be taken."

The significance of guidelines to protect staff who speak out within the NHS came to light at Bristol Royal Infirmary in the late Eighties and early Nineties, when Professor Stephen Bolsin blew the whistle on his colleagues.

He repeatedly told management about his concerns over children's death rates after cardiac surgery. He was warned he would lose his job if he rocked the boat.

Between 1988 and 1995, 29 infants died and four suffered brain damage under the care of consultants James Wisheart and Janardan Dhasmana at the hospital. Later, Wisheart and the hospital's chief executive were struck off the medical register and Dhasmana was sacked.

Miss Potts said the rules in Brighton would encourage staff to raise concerns without fear of retribution. "Victimisation of those who raise concerns will be viewed as gross misconduct," she added.

Trust staff council chairman Pat Grant said incidents in Bristol had eroded workers' confidence in their claims being taken seriously.

She said: "Policies like this should help to revive that confidence."