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When Dr Raj Mattu realised that patients in his hospital were dying because of poor health care he felt he had no choice but to speak up about it. Nine years later he was sacked from his job as a heart specialist at a Coventry hospital but this week an employment tribunal ruled in his favour, talking about the years of bullying he had endured as a result of his whistleblowing. In one way Dr Mattu’s decision to speak up was a simple one: as a doctor he is there to save life, and when he saw it jeopardised he knew he had to act. But his story shows how gutsy he had to be to blow the whistle on his NHS employer; his bosses spent thousands of pounds on hiring private investigators to look into his affairs and on using PR men to deal with the media fallout out from his revelation. While the Health Secretary and patient groups have condemned his treatment, Dr Mattu knows how hard it is for people to speak up even when it is right; he says that denial is common practice among managers of the NHS. Denial is something that can infect institutions but we’re all familiar with it from time to time in our own lives. The damage it does is revealed in what happened to Peter, the leader of Jesus’ apostles. Jesus understood human frailty, and he warned Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crows. Yesterday, on Good Friday, Christians commemorated Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, which began when Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest’s house to be interrogated. Peter followed behind and arrived at the house’s courtyard. Luke’s Gospel outlines the scene with great dramatic effect: the three different people who challenge Peter, saying they recognise him as Jesus’ man, his vehement denials, until the cock crows. All the time he is warming his hands on a brazier, Luke’s metaphor for the initial warmth of staying in your cosy place of denial, not standing up to be counted. But Peter’s story reveals two consequences of denial: the impact it has on others, and the affect it has on yourself. After the cock crowed, he wept bitterly, Luke’s Gospel tells us. There were tears of remorse for what he had done. Not that having the courage to speak up is without price. Some lose their livelihoods. Others, including Peter who returned to following Christ, lose their lives for what they believe to be right. But they don’t suffer the eventual torment of knowing they failed to stand up for the truth. And as Christ said: know the truth and the truth will set you free.