Freedom to Speak Up

What is Freedom to Speak Up?

Freedom to Speak Up is a national initiative that encourages all staff, volunteers, patients, supporters and members of the public to raise concerns. Whether it’s about patient safety, staff wellbeing, or the quality of care we provide, your voice truly matters.

Our team

You can contact any of the following people:

Lisa Baldwin – Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
lisa.baldwin@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Carole Ward – Freedom to Speak Up Champion (Trustee)
Carole.ward@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Leanne Harrison – Freedom to Speak Up Champion
leanne.harrison@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Ann Neville – Freedom to Speak Up Champion
Ann.neville@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Ian Fox – Freedom to Speak Up Champion
ian.fox@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Hazel Booth – Freedom to Speak Up Champion
hazel.booth@eastlancshospice.org.uk

Lindsay Foote – Freedom to Speak Up Champion
Lindsay.foote@eastlancshospice.org.uk

How to raise a concern

You can raise a concern in several ways:

In person

Speak directly with any of our Freedom to Speak Up Champions or our Freedom to Speak Up Guardian.

By telephone

Call a Champion or the Guardian to discuss your concern confidentially. Please call 01254 965830 and ask to speak to a Freedom to Speak Up Champion or Guardian.

By email

Email the Guardian or a Champion with the details of your concern.

Through our website form

If you prefer, you can fill out our anonymous online form. This option allows you to raise a concern without giving your name or contact details.

How we handle your concern

You can choose to:

• Be confidential (your identity is known to the Champion and is not shared with anyone else).
• Be named (your identity is known to the Guardian and Senior Leadership Team).
• Be anonymous (you do not provide any identifying information).

We take all concerns seriously and will work with you (if possible) to address them promptly.

What kinds of concerns can I raise?

You can raise any issue that affects:

• Patient care and safety (e.g. unsafe practices, mistakes, or near-misses).
• Staff wellbeing (e.g. bullying, harassment, discrimination, stress, or mental health concerns).
• Workplace culture (e.g. unfair treatment, poor communication, or lack of respect).
• Policies and procedures (e.g. processes that don’t work properly or put people at risk).
• Anything else that worries you.

Why your voice matters

By raising a concern, you can help us to identify and fix problems early, make East Lancashire Hospice a safer, more supportive workplace and strengthen the care we provide to our patients and their friends and families.

We believe that together, we can build a culture of openness, trust, and improvement.