I am also a regular, but have namechanged for this.
I worked for the NHS several years ago, and there was a particular member of staff who was causing concern for a variety of issues, both clinical and administratively.
I was a fairly junior member of staff, they were slightly less so, and with good connections.
I raised concerns internally, had proof of the administrative concerns (fraud) and [I thought] the support of several colleagues.
In the end, cutting a long and identifiable story extremely short, I was hung out to dry. The admin fraud was admitted and nothing was done. The other stuff was never addressed because to do so would raise other issues which would cause huge ructions within the department at a more senior level.
Incidently, I saw an old colleague after around 5 years, and at that time there had been no progress. Nobody could confront the issues in a way that would address them without blowing the whole department to smithereens. The staff concerned were not going to move on, so lots of people join, then leave, and it all rolls on. Nobody has died yet
As for the working result, well, I suppose not too bad. I left the department. After confronting internally, and revealing the fraud, the people involved made my life difficult and ignored me completely, unless directly involving a patient. Small team, no room to distance oneself.
However, after several years away, I bumped in to the manager of another section of the department, who invited me to return any time on an as & when basis, which in the current climate is a very positive thing.
My biggest error was to think that I could deal with the matter informally and that it would be dealt with and we would move on positively. I should have used the official whistleblowing policy, and gone from there.