National Guardian Freedom to Speak Up: 100 voices (February 2020)

Summary

Freedom to Speak Up Guardians are changing the conversation about what it means to speak up in health. With a network of over 1,100 guardians and champions in England, workers are being supported and positive actions are being taken as a result. Speaking up and listening up should be a natural part of our conversations with colleagues, managers and each other.

In health, as in all sectors, the best leaders understand the importance of listening to workers who are the eyes and ears of an organisation. But in health it is even more crucial as speaking up can be a matter of life or death. A positive environment and a supportive culture are key elements of the NHS People Plan. The Freedom To Speak Up Index, a new metric taken from the NHS Annual staff survey, shows that a positive speaking up culture may be correlated with higher performing organisations. 

The National Guardian Freedom to Speak UP launched the 100 Voices campaign: to share the stories that describe the current reality of speaking up in health. This document highlights and shares best practice in speaking up. Some have been provided by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, others by workers themselves. Within these pages you will hear a selection of voices. They describe their experiences of speaking up, the impact this has had and how it has led to positive change.