North East & North Cumbria ICB

Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

The closing date is 19 June 2025

Job summary

The Freedom to Speak Up Guardian will act as an impartial and independent advocate and resource for all colleagues. A Freedom to Speak Up Guardian is a named individual who is independent within the organisation and provides an impartial and confidential service to employees who wish to raise concerns. Strong people skills and a background in helping and advocating for others are paramount for this role. We welcome applications from all areas of our organisation including Nursing, AHP, Admin & Clerical backgrounds.

Please note this post is only accepting applications from current staff members of North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

The Freedom To Speak Up (FTSU) Guardian will be a key member of the North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) Team. The post holder will work by leading and developing the delivery of the Freedom To Speak Up work programmeThe post holder will be expected to:

Uphold the core values of the FTSU Guardian which are:-

  • Courage - speaking truthfully and challenging appropriately;
  • Impartiality - remaining objective and unbiased;
  • Empathy - listening well and acting sensitively;
  • Learning - seeking and providing feedback and looking for opportunities to improve

About us

Our Integrated Care Board (ICB) is the largest in the country.

The ICB is responsible for ensuring that high quality and safe health services are accessible to all of our communities. It has a wide range of functions, including; promoting integration of health and care services, improving peoples health and well-being, reducing health inequalities.

With a £6.6 billion budget and a workforce of 170,000 people across the North East and North Cumbria. As well as strategic functions, ICB staff also work at place level with local health and wellbeing boards in each of our 14 local authority areas. These teams also work alongside our 67 primary care networks which are groups of local GP practices, social care teams and other community- based area providers.

The ICB works with our Provider Collaborative too, this includes the 11 NHS Foundation Trusts in the region, to deliver our shared priorities.

Details

Date posted

05 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

134-7258592PM

Job locations

Pemberton House

Colima Avenue

Sunderland Enterprise Park

SR5 3XB


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Take responsibility to support a strong culture of public accountability, probity, and governance, ensuring that appropriate and compliant structures, systems, and process are in place to minimise risk and promote the freedom to speak up.
  • Operate independently, impartially, and objectively across NENC ICB to raise awareness of the Speaking Up service and will identify and promote local examples of best practice.
  • Work in partnership with individuals, groups and the NENCB ICB's senior leadership team to triangulate information to help better understand and improve the culture of Speaking Up in NENC ICB.
  • To ensure the delivery of an effective FTSU process across the NENC ICB by managing the membership of the FTSU work stream leading a portfolio of projects related to the Speak Up.
  • To lead and coordinate the implementation and delivery of the ICB FTSU vision and strategy

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Take responsibility to support a strong culture of public accountability, probity, and governance, ensuring that appropriate and compliant structures, systems, and process are in place to minimise risk and promote the freedom to speak up.
  • Operate independently, impartially, and objectively across NENC ICB to raise awareness of the Speaking Up service and will identify and promote local examples of best practice.
  • Work in partnership with individuals, groups and the NENCB ICB's senior leadership team to triangulate information to help better understand and improve the culture of Speaking Up in NENC ICB.
  • To ensure the delivery of an effective FTSU process across the NENC ICB by managing the membership of the FTSU work stream leading a portfolio of projects related to the Speak Up.
  • To lead and coordinate the implementation and delivery of the ICB FTSU vision and strategy

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to master's level or equivalent level of substantial experience of working at a senior level in the NHS, Social Care or independent sector
  • Evidence of sustained personal and professional development trough formal courses/ or experience
  • National Guardian Office FTSU Guardian qualification and expert knowledge of the Speak Up Agenda

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in managing and improving services, projects and programmes, delivering on time and within budget in a complex environment
  • Experience of working in a clinical role
  • Leadership and management experience together with experience of reporting to Executive and Board level
  • Experience in public/patient engagement
  • Substantial leadership experience in and knowledge of governance and incident investigation at ICB level
  • Significant experience of working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders on supporting the delivery of service models and pathways
  • Experience of facilitating change through motivating and influencing staff and promoting a culture of learning and development, where staff may be in other parts of the organisation or external to it
  • Experience of line management & supervision of staff.
  • Experience of delivering training and skills development sessions
  • Experience of working with and bringing about positive change for disadvantaged diverse and vulnerable people.
  • Experience of effective partnership and working with internal and external stakeholders at the most senior level
  • Significant experience in leading and developing programme or project plans across multiple partners and stakeholders, achieving consensus and managing successful delivery
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to master's level or equivalent level of substantial experience of working at a senior level in the NHS, Social Care or independent sector
  • Evidence of sustained personal and professional development trough formal courses/ or experience
  • National Guardian Office FTSU Guardian qualification and expert knowledge of the Speak Up Agenda

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in managing and improving services, projects and programmes, delivering on time and within budget in a complex environment
  • Experience of working in a clinical role
  • Leadership and management experience together with experience of reporting to Executive and Board level
  • Experience in public/patient engagement
  • Substantial leadership experience in and knowledge of governance and incident investigation at ICB level
  • Significant experience of working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders on supporting the delivery of service models and pathways
  • Experience of facilitating change through motivating and influencing staff and promoting a culture of learning and development, where staff may be in other parts of the organisation or external to it
  • Experience of line management & supervision of staff.
  • Experience of delivering training and skills development sessions
  • Experience of working with and bringing about positive change for disadvantaged diverse and vulnerable people.
  • Experience of effective partnership and working with internal and external stakeholders at the most senior level
  • Significant experience in leading and developing programme or project plans across multiple partners and stakeholders, achieving consensus and managing successful delivery

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

North East & North Cumbria ICB

Address

Pemberton House

Colima Avenue

Sunderland Enterprise Park

SR5 3XB


Employer's website

https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

North East & North Cumbria ICB

Address

Pemberton House

Colima Avenue

Sunderland Enterprise Park

SR5 3XB


Employer's website

https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Recruiting Manager

Hilary Lloyd

hilarylloyd1@nhs.net

07789774693

Details

Date posted

05 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

134-7258592PM

Job locations

Pemberton House

Colima Avenue

Sunderland Enterprise Park

SR5 3XB


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

North East & North Cumbria ICB's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)