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Freedom to speak up

Information about Freedom to Speak up which helps to protect patient safety and improve the quality of care and the lives of NHS workers.

It is important that any member of staff in the trust is able to raise concerns when they feel things aren’t right.

The trust want all staff to feel safe speaking up, and Freedom to Speak up is a process through which concerns can be raised.

But it is more than a process it’s about a culture which is transparent and open, willing to learn and respectful of all. This can ensure patients are protected, patient care can be improved and that the trust is a great place to work, study or volunteer.

You can raise concerns about risk, malpractice or wrongdoing or anything that you think is harming the service we deliver.

Examples include:

  • Unsafe patient care
  • Unsafe working conditions
  • Inadequate induction or training for staff
  • Lack of, or poor response to, a reported patient safety incident
  • Suspicions of fraud
  • A bullying culture

Your line manager will usually be the first person you might speak up to and is often the best route to use.

The Freedom to Speak up guardian team is another route through which you can raise your concerns.

The role of the freedom to speak up guardian team

  • Act as an independent and impartial source of advice to staff
  • Support staff to speak up when they feel unable to do so via other routes
  • Ensure person speaking up is thanked and that an appropriate person investigates the issues raised and provides feedback on the action taken
  • Tackle barriers to speaking up

Concerns can be raised. . .

Openly

You are happy for the guardian and anyone else involved to know your identity.

Confidentially

You are happy for the guardian to know your identity on the condition that it will not be shared without your consent.

Anonymously

You do not want the guardian or anyone else to know your identity.

You can also raise concerns as part of a group.

Freedom to speak up guardians (South Tees)

  • Jim Woods
  • Philippa Imrie
  • Samantha Sinclair

The guardians can be contacted by email on [email protected] or by telephone on 01642 835516.

If you would like to raise your concern anonymously, you can do this using the online reporting tool.

Please search on the staff intranet page for ‘online reporting tool’ and follow the instructions.

Freedom to speak up guardian (North Tees)

The North Tees freedom to speak up guardian can be contacted on [email protected] or 07769 922667.