The Freedom to Speak Up guardian role will remain part of the NHS Standard Contract for 2026-27, NHS England and the government have confirmed.
The announcement has addressed concerns about the future of the roles, after it was revealed that the National Guardian’s Office would be shut down in 2026.
“Guardians are instrumental in ensuring that staff voices are heard”
Letter to guardians
It came as part of a decision to abolish hundreds of bodies responsible for overseeing and running parts of the NHS.
The National Guardian’s Office was created in 2015 and leads a network of Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) guardians – of which there are over 1,200 – who work across NHS trusts in England where they support nurses to raise concerns.
However, an independent review of patient safety in England, published last month by chair of NHS England Dr Penny Dash, found that the organisation was duplicating work carried out by providers.
As such, it recommended that the National Guardian’s Office should be brought into providers instead, in order to streamline the organisations responsible for monitoring and overseeing safety of care.
In a letter sent to guardians on 13 August, NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Guardian’s Office confirmed that the functions of the organisation would be transferred to NHS England.
It said: “We can confirm that Freedom to Speak Up, and the role of guardians, will be incorporated into the NHS Standard Contract for 2026-27.
“We wish to provide assurance of our ongoing commitment to the national support and guidance of guardians.
“NHS England will assume responsibility for leading this work from 2026-27 onwards.”
Until the powers are transferred to NHS England, the National Guardian’s Office will remain the primary support and main point of contact for guardians, the letter confirmed.
It further added that updates regarding the closure of the National Guardian’s Office, and the transition of its functions, would be updated as further details become available.
The letter said: “Following the publication of the Patient Safety Landscape Review, we would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the vital role that Freedom to Speak Up guardians continue to play across the NHS.
“Guardians are instrumental in ensuring that staff voices are heard, that patients are protected from harm, and in supporting the development of safer, fairer, and more transparent healthcare systems.”
The letter comes at the same time that the National Guardian for the NHS, Dr Jayne Chidgey-Clark, will step down after nearly four years in the role.
Her role will not be replaced. Instead, Bethany Carter, national lead for guardian support, will manage the running of the office as interim director.
