Freedom to Speak Up Guardians (FTSU) play a vital role in supporting the NHS by creating a culture of openness, safety, and continuous improvement. We understand that their primary responsibility is to ensure that hundreds of NHS staff in their Trust feel confident, safe, and supported when raising concerns about anything that could negatively affect patient care, staff wellbeing or organisational integrity.
The latest 24/25 speak up data from the National Guardian’s Office saw the highest number of cases reported since the programme began, and an 18% increase from the 23/24 data highlighting the important role FTSUG’s have played in encouraging workers to raise a wide range of concerns.
Whilst it was announced in August 2025 that the National Guardian’s Office will close in 2026, leaving people uncertain about the future role of FTSU Guardians, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have confirmed that the role Freedom to Speak Up Guardian will remain part of NHS Standard Contract for 2026/27.
FTSU guardian roles vary across different NHS organisations depending on the needs of the Trust and ICS (Integrated Care System). They could be the initial route to reporting problematic behaviour itself or they could be the most serious escalation point, whistleblowing. Regardless of how FTSUG are utilised across Trusts, the FTSU Guardian network is a crucial component of employee support on the ground and assists with improving organisational change.
We’re frequently asked how our reporting platform can support the FTSU Guardians within an organisation, and how we work alongside a Trust’s current routes for reporting. Our reporting platform is a vital tool that FTSU Guardians can use to encourage reporting in their NHS Trust and can work successfully alongside current reporting mechanisms whilst also helping FTSU Guardians to carry out their role effectively.
Our reporting platform helps FTSU Guardians create a safe space for NHS staff to speak up
One size rarely fits all, and in an organisation the size and complexity of the NHS, that is especially true. Employees need to be given multiple options to report harmful behaviour and to seek support, especially when the types of behaviour people are experiencing varies in severity.
Relying on everyone who has experienced or witnessed problematic behaviour to come forward and tell someone like an FTSU Guardian face-to-face is setting any organisation up to fail. There are numerous barriers to reporting but one of the biggest barriers is simply saying what you’ve experienced out loud.
- Employees may be more likely to confide in a friend, relative or Staff Network than a FTSU Guardian who doesn’t know who they are. This is problematic because the organisation then doesn’t know about the behaviours occurring and can’t do anything to support the individual or prevent it from happening again, or to someone else.
- Protected characteristics can also play a part, if someone doesn’t feel represented in their FTSU guardian, it may also be a barrier to reporting.
- Often people feel more comfortable making a report about an experience when they can do so anonymously.
Our platform allows employees to make a named or anonymous report. Our own research shows that 62% of employees would be more likely to report harassment or discrimination at work if they had an option to do so anonymously. Trusts are missing out on key information about their culture by not offering an anonymous reporting route.
Part of an FTSUG’s role is to create a safe space for staff to speak up and our platform can work alongside FTSUG’s to help improve reporting rates. FTSUG’s also play a vital role in rolling out reporting software like Report + Support and engaging uptake in their Trust’s workforce.
Key features for FTSUG
- Confidential, anonymous reporting mechanism
- An additional route to reporting that does not rely on face-to-face conversations
- Step-by-step reporting with the end user in mind
- Trend analysis for the FTSUG to identify problem trends to report to Senior Leadership
- Available on any device, so reporters can report from an environment that feels safe to them
Our reporting platform assists FTSUGs to maintain accurate, written records
Part of a FTSUG’s role is to record and report cases that are brought to them. FTSUGs must maintain confidential, secure and accurate written records of individual cases they are involved in. They must also send data to the National Guardian Office to help them analyse the effectiveness of the FTSUG network and to build a picture of speak up data nationwide. The NGO needs one data return per organisation, per quarter and stresses the importance of maintaining confidentiality when submitting data. Our Insights Report builder can help FTSUGs produce custom data reports which can support the NGO’s data return whilst also providing vital insights for senior leaders in their organisation.
Keeping a record of cases is required to promote consistent case handling and must comply with data information management and security policies, so they can’t just be written in a notepad. NGO encourage FTSUGs to record information as soon as Guardians receive it, so the information is fresh and accurate.
FTSUGs can make third-party reports on behalf of others, therefore transferring knowledge that has come in through an unsecured route, into a secured database.
Our reporting platform helps FTSUGs to promote a culture of openness
According to the National Guardian’s Office Speak Up 24/25 data, inappropriate attitudes and behaviours remain the most common theme of concern.
Measuring these everyday covert behaviours is challenging, especially as the NHS is relying on staff and pulse surveys which only offer a snapshot of reality and are shared infrequently. People are also a lot less likely to disclose in these surveys if they believe they are being ‘oversensitive’.
A year-round reporting tool which encourages people to speak up about anything they’ve witnessed or experienced means you’ll get more real time data on the lower-level behaviours and can do something about them before it escalates to a more formal complaint.
We know many reports within the NHS are done via email however this is problematic from a GDPR point of view because emails aren’t safe or secure. If a person is unable to speak to a FTSUG face-to-face they may choose not to report via email due to fear of their report getting back to the person they’re reporting. Reporting through our system, whether named or anonymous, means people’s data will remain safe and secure.
Key features for FTSUG
- 24/7 Reporting in a safe, secure, cloud-based system
- Confidential, anonymous reporting
- Case management to help manage case load
Our reporting platform gives FTSU Guardians better visibility on problematic behaviour and systemic issues
Our reporting dashboard gives Freedom to Speak Up Guardians a valuable tool to track and analyse incident reports and the data collected on wide spectrum of behaviours including micro incivilities through to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and other types of unacceptable behaviour in one centralised place.
A centralised system can help make a FTSUG’s job more efficient when it comes to supporting those experiencing problematic behaviour, removing additional administrative pressures from them. Because the data is all centralised in one platform, FTSUGs can identify problems within their organisation and improve from an individual and structural level.
Trends can be assessed by looking at the data from reports, which assists the FTSUG network to make change at a higher level, instead of being in the dark about cultural trends and only being able to be responsive to individual cases.
Key features for FTSUG
- Centralises data into one central system and stores it safely
- Powerful analytics tools to identify and monitor trends over time
- Report builder for internal and external reports to document culture change action
Our reporting platform supports FTSUG to ensure NHS staff’s concerns are heard and acted upon
We know that in some NHS organisations it can take up to 8 weeks for employees who make a disclosure or incident report via email to get a response.
Our system makes it easy for FTSU Guardians to be instantly alerted to issues, to triage cases and respond more urgently to those that are at higher risk, and to assign reports to a team of case workers to share the load. It also means you can clearly communicate and manage expectations with reporting parties.
With our two-way direct messaging function, it gives FTSUG’s a way to interact with reporters whether they make a report anonymously or provide their identity. Two-way messaging allows FTSUGs and case workers to communicate directly with reporters and gather more information.
It also allows FTSUGs to offer continued support and advice to reporters, making them feel heard and valued which is particularly important for anonymous reporters. Two-way messaging can help build trust and even encourage anonymous reporters to reveal their identity.
This feature provides a more proactive, comprehensive approach to handling reports, ultimately helping FSUGs to fulfil their safeguarding duties and close the feedback loop with confidence.
Key features for FTSUG
- All-in-one Case Management system
- Triage time is highlighted
- Increases accountability
- It gives the means to flag specific reports (anonymous or advisory) to a specific and relevant team
- Two-way direct Messaging
Our reporting platform helps FTSUGs support staff wellbeing
Our platform isn’t just a reporting platform. It’s also a place for those who have experienced or witnessed problematic behaviour at work to seek support. This can take a huge weight off FTSUG’s, who can’t possibly support everyone who needs it on an individual basis.
Many victims need more of an understanding of what they’re experiencing before they can go to someone or report an incident, the support section hosts definitions of problematic behaviour so they can start to understand what happened.
In the case of covert and everyday micro-incivilities it’s very common to feel like you’re being oversensitive and like what you experienced wasn’t an issue at all, yet this is exactly the type of behaviour FTSUG’s want to hear about so they can understand the culture better and stop behaviours worsening.
If you wait for someone to come to you with a problem, they may leave the organisation before they do. Empowering them to seek support through the site or through signposting them to other services can make the difference.
Key features for FTSUG
- Library of support articles to manage expectations about options available and to provide early support
- Cloud based reporting platform, accessible 24/7
Arrange a demo to see exactly how our reporting platform can support Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
