The National Guardian’s Office conducts surveys, commissions research and undertakes Speaking Up Reviews to find out more about speaking up in health, and provides guidance and practical tools to support organisations in fostering a speaking up culture.
Freedom to Speak Up Guardians share their speaking up data with us which will help you reflect on your own organisation’s speaking up culture. You can also read the stories behind the numbers here.
Why is Freedom to Speak Up important?
Three senior leaders describe why Freedom to Speak Up is so important: Ted Baker, Dr Navina Evans and Dame Dido Harding
The work of Freedom to Speak Up Guardians
Freedom to Speak Up Guardians support workers to speak up when they feel that they are unable to do so by other routes. They also work proactively to support their organisation to tackle barriers to speaking up. Their role is independent and impartial.
Over 100,000 thousand workers have spoken up to them since 2015.
Any organisation can appoint a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian. They are appointed by the organisation that they support and abide by the guidance issued by the National Guardian’s Office.
All organisations that provide services under the NHS Standard Contract are required to appoint a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian. NHS primary care provider organisations are expected to. The National Guardian’s Office also expects health and care leadership organisations and regulators to appoint Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
