Future of Freedom to Speak Up: engagement survey

Overview

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on the future of Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) as the National Guardian's Office prepares to close by June 2026. This survey is part of our engagement process to gather stakeholder feedback on how FTSU functions should be delivered going forward. Your insights will directly inform final decisions about function transfers to NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Care Quality Commission and providers.

This survey should be read alongside the engagement pack, which provides detailed context and proposals for each function area. If you haven't already reviewed the engagement pack, please do so before completing this survey to ensure your feedback is fully informed. All responses are confidential and will be analysed thematically. A summary report will be published showing how feedback influenced final decisions. Individuals will not be identifiable in the report.

Key actions
•    read the engagement pack
•    complete this survey - this should take 10 minutes 
•    submit responses by 20 February 2026

This survey does not ask for your personal information, please do not include any personal data in the free text fields.

If you wish to receive a copy of your response, you will need to provide your email address. Your email address is not stored and cannot be used to identify you or your responses. 

NHS England’s privacy notice describes how we use personal data and explains how you can contact us and invoke your rights as a data subject. We will process your information in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Why your views matter

In July 2025, the Dash Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape recommended that responsibilities of the National Guardian's Office should be incorporated into providers, with functions aligned with other staff voice functions in NHS England. The review emphasised that ensuring these functions happen in all commissioners and providers should be a core function of the Care Quality Commission as the independent regulator.

The 10 Year Health Plan confirmed that the National Guardian's work will align with other national staff voice functions, meaning the distinct Office of the National Guardian will no longer be required. However, the commitment to Freedom to Speak Up remains strong, with guardians continuing to play a vital role in supporting speaking up culture.

Why we need your input
We want to ensure that as part of these changes we preserve what works well while taking the opportunity to improve and streamline functions. Your practical insights will help us:
•    identify risks and mitigation strategies
•    understand support needs
•    design effective implementation plans
•    minimise disruption to services

All responses are confidential and will be analysed thematically. Key themes will be used to inform final decisions on the future of Freedom to Speak Up.