Being a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
About Freedom to Speak Up Guardians
What is a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian?
Freedom to Speak Up guardians provide an additional route to support workers to speak up.
As a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, you ensure those who speak up are thanked, that the issues they raise are responded to, and make sure that the person speaking up receives feedback on the actions taken. You also work proactively to support your organisation to tackle barriers to speaking up.
What does a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian do?
National Guardian’s Office guardian recruitment framework
You adhere to the guardian values of Courage, Impartiality, Empathy and Learning. The National Guardian’s Office is here to support you to uphold these values through training, guidance, fortnightly bulletins, webinars and events. You will find further resources on these webpages.
You contribute to the work of the National Guardian’s Office by providing us with speaking up data, responding to surveys and telling us your stories, so that we can share the impact that speaking up is having in health.
Together we are working to make speaking up business as usual.
If you have been appointed to fulfil the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role
If you have been appointed to fulfil the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian role, you will need to undertake the National Guardian’s Office’s programme of training on appointment and throughout your tenure.
Please contact [email protected] to arrange access to training.
Successful completion of the e-learning module allows you to register on the National Guardian’s Office Directory and enables access to guardian networks, important communications and a guardian only area on the website containing helpful information, guidance and resources to support effective performance and development.
Find out more about the guardian journey.
The latest from NGO
Read the latest news, announcements, case studies and blogs from the National Guardian’s Office.
Annual report laid before Parliament
The Annual Report of the National Guardian for the NHS is today (24 November 2025) laid before Parliament,…...
National Guardian’s Office responds to the CQC State of Care report 2025
Responding to the Care Quality Commission State of Care Report 2025, Beth Carter, Interim Director of Operations and Strategy for the National Guardian’s Office,…...
Between challenge and change: A guardian’s perspective
In July, the Dash Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape was published and highlighted…...
