Contact the Freedom to Speak Up Team
- Email the Freedom to Speak Up Team.
- Call 07876 477 769 or 07818 405 187.
Freedom to speak up
Confidential support for colleagues
We want everyone who works here to feel safe, respected and able to speak up. Raising concerns helps us keep people safe, support one another and continue to improve the care we provide.
Freedom to speak up (also known as FTSU) offers confidential, independent support for staff, workers and volunteers who are worried about something at work and feel unable to raise it through usual routes or are unsure where to turn.
What freedom to speak up is for
You can contact the Freedom to Speak Up Team if you have concerns about:
- patient safety or quality of care
- behaviour, bullying, harassment or discrimination
- workplace culture or ways of working
- something that does not feel right, even if you're not sure how to describe it
You do not need evidence or certainty. Speaking up early is encouraged, and conversations can be informal and exploratory.
Who can use this service?
Freedom to speak up is for:
- employees (clinical and non clinical)
- bank and agency staff
- students, trainees and apprentices
- volunteers and contractors
If you work for, or on behalf of, the Trust, this service is for you.
What this service is not
Freedom to speak up is a staff support route.
It is not:
- a complaints service for patients, families or carers
- a replacement patient advice or complaints
- an emergency or safeguarding response
Patients and carers with concerns about care should contact our Patient Advice and Complaints Team (PACT), who are best placed to help.
If your issue relates to routine HR matters (such as pay, rotas or formal grievances), your manager or a member of the Employee Relations Team will usually be the most appropriate first contact. The Freedom to Speak Up Team can still offer confidential advice if you feel unsure or unsupported.
What happens when you contact us?
When you get in touch with the Freedom to Speak Up Team:
- you will be listened to respectfully and without judgement
- we will explain your options and support you to decide what feels right
- we will not take action without your agreement, unless there is a serious and immediate risk
We can support you to raise a concern yourself, raise it on your behalf with your consent, or help you think through next steps.
Confidentiality and support
Confidentiality is central to freedom to speak up. Your identity will not be shared without your consent, except in very limited circumstances where there is a serious risk of harm.
The Trust does not tolerate disadvantage or unfair treatment for anyone who speaks up in good faith.