Freedom to Speak Up
Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) is a free, confidential, impartial and independent service for staff, designed to support them raising a concern.
At gesh, we are committed to ensuring our staff feel safe to speak up about anything that could affect patient safety and the wellbeing of our staff. When things go wrong, we need to make sure that lessons are learnt, and things are improved as a result.
If we think something might go wrong, it’s important that we all feel able to speak up so that potential harm is prevented. Speaking up is vitally important – it will help us to keep improving our services for patients, and the working environment for our staff.
How Freedom to Speak Up can help you
Freedom to Speak Up is about encouraging a positive culture where people feel they can speak up, and that their voices will be heard. Freedom to Speak Up Guardians cannot investigate but can support staff to speak up when they feel that they are unable to do so by other routes, such as via colleagues or their line manager.
We understand that speaking up is not an easy thing to do. As a result, Freedom to Speak Up Guardians ensure that people who speak up are thanked and supported, and that the issues they raise are responded to. They also make sure that the person speaking up receives feedback on the actions taken.
If a concern has been raised about you, we understand that you may be worried or anxious. Your manager or the person handling the concern is best placed to liaise with you and keep you updated. FTSU Guardians are unable to discuss the particular issue with you. Your wellbeing is important and we encourage you to access support as necessary, you can access support via the following.
Access Freedom to Speak Up training here.
This training is for everyone working in healthcare – whatever your role – and explains in a clear and consistent way what speaking up is, and its importance in creating an environment in which people are supported to deliver their best. It will help you understand the vital role you can play and the support available to encourage a healthy speaking up culture for the benefit of patients and workers.
You can read more about the speaking up agenda on The National Guardian’s Office website.
Champions
Freedom to Speak Up are developing a team of Champions across all sites so that staff have someone nearer to them that they can approach for advice and support when needed. FTSU Champions do not case manage or investigate concerns and are not authorised to attend meetings with you apart from in the capacity as a workplace colleague.
Please see the links below for more information on becoming a Champion, what this involves and for a list of staff who have already joined the team.
While we encourage staff to raise any concerns internally within the Trust, you may also want to seek advice from independent sources.
- The National Whistleblowing Helpline is available on 080 0072 4725, and provides staff working within the NHS with free and independent advice
- Public Concern at Work contains further information and details on raising concerns and whistleblowing.
- Institute of Business Ethics Speak Up toolkit
External advice sources
While we encourage staff to raise any concerns internally within the Trust, you may also want to seek advice from independent sources.
- The National Whistleblowing Helpline is available on 080 0072 4725, and provides staff working within the NHS with free and independent advice
- Public Concern at Work contains further information and details on raising concerns and whistleblowing.
- Institute of Business Ethics Speak Up toolkit
- NHS England
- Care Quality Commission
CONTACT US
Office telephone numbers:
St George’s: 020 8725 5033
St Helier: 020 8296 4999
Epsom: 01372 735 370
Karyn Richards-Wright – Group Lead Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
Karyn.richardswright@stgeorges.nhs.uk
07775 020 247
Tina Watson – Group Deputy Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
tina.watson@stgeorges.nhs.uk
07771 971 676
View the full list of Guardians and Champions here.