Guardian Service response to Health and Social Care Select Committee call for evidence on NHS Leadership, Performance and Patient Safety

About us

The Guardian Service (GSL) is the UK’s leading provider of independent and confidential staff liaison services. We established the concept and role of independent Guardians in 2013, predating both the Francis report and the establishment of the National Guardian Office (NGO).

We have over ten years’ experience and support over 165,000 workers across a broad range of organisations, including the NHS.

We believe Guardians must be independent and being a Guardian is a full-time and specialised role, not an in-house add-on. Over the last decade, the complexity of the role has shown the importance of having fully trained and supported Guardians, able to give their full attention to individuals who contact them and to work with, though independent of, the organisations they support.