Freedom to Speak Up

The Freedom to Speak Up course is a vital training programme designed to empower healthcare professionals by educating them about the importance of “speaking up” in the workplace. This course is crucial for creating a supportive environment where you feel confident and supported in raising concerns, ultimately enhancing the quality of care provided to patients.

Suitable for all healthcare professionals, regardless of their care setting or role, this course is accessible to practitioners around the globe. The Freedom to Speak Up course emphasizes the significant role that every healthcare worker can play in fostering a culture of openness and transparency, which is essential for the well-being of both patients and healthcare staff.

Developed by the UK’s National Guardian’s Office in collaboration with NHS England e-learning for healthcare, the Freedom to Speak Up course meets the highest standards of professional training and offers a world-class e-learning experience. The course content is designed to be engaging and flexible, enabling participants to study at their convenience—whether at home, at work, or on the move. The bitesize modules are structured to track progress, allowing participants to dip in and out of sessions and access them in any order as needed, making it an ideal course for busy healthcare professionals.

The course is divided into three parts:

Speak Up: Core training for all workers, including volunteers, students, and those in training, regardless of contract terms. It covers what speaking up is, why it matters, how to speak up, and what to expect when you do.

Listen Up: Training for all line and middle managers focused on listening up and addressing barriers to speaking up.

Follow-up: Training for senior leaders, including executive board members, Non-Executive Directors, and Governors, to help them understand their role in setting the tone for a positive speaking-up culture and promoting organizational learning and improvement.