ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the theory and literature around the subject of blame culture and specifically blame culture in the National Health Service (NHS). A blame culture consists of a set of attitudes in an organization which is characterized by a lack of risk-taking or accepting responsibility for mistakes. This is often due to a fear of criticism and punishment. Within a culture of blame, reporting errors may result in a damaged professional image and self-confidence for the individual. When there is a blame culture and something goes wrong, those involved want to hold someone accountable. People working in such an environment often want to blame others in order to protect themselves. The notion of safety is important within all societies and cultures. A positive 'safety culture' is the direct opposite of a blame culture. There is very little in the way of literature regarding blame culture within the profession of radiography.
