---
title: "Confidential Staff Liaison and Freedom To Speak Up Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03d761"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03d761"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d761.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d761.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS HIGHLAND"
published: "2025-08-05"
---

# Confidential Staff Liaison and Freedom To Speak Up Services

Buyer: NHS HIGHLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03d761

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d761.json)

## Summary

NHS Highland has undertaken a public procurement process for the provision of "Confidential Staff Liaison and Freedom To Speak Up Services" focusing on staff development services, classified under CPV code 79633000. The procurement activity is currently at the contract update stage and involves The Guardian Service Ltd. as the supplier. This service aims to provide NHS Highland employees with an independent channel to raise concerns, aligned with the National Whistleblowing Standards since 2020. The contract period started on 1st August 2023 and will end on 30th November 2025, with an active contract valued at £375,980 GBP. The procurement location is in the NHS Highland area (UKM6), and the procurement method used was a limited procedure, highlighting its uniqueness and the specific experience of the supplier.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in staff development services, especially those experienced in providing whistleblowing and liaison services within healthcare. SMEs with expertise in delivering staff support and development services could find this contract particularly beneficial, offering a potential avenue for business growth. The limited procurement method signals a high demand for technical solutions tailored to specific industry experiences, setting a precedent for businesses that can offer specialised and niche solutions. Engaging in such a contract not only promises financial returns but also enhances reputation and experience within the public sector healthcare domain.

## Notice

NHS Highland requires the provision of Confidential Staff Liaison and Freedom to Speak up Services for NHS staff.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

NHS Highland have been providing a Guardian / Speak up service since 2020, as recommended in the Sturrock review, this is to provide an independent channel for colleague concerns to be raised where other channels have not worked or cannot be used. This service was aligned to include the National Whistleblowing standards in NHS Highland also in 2020. The market was reviewed and the only established provider of this service that we have identified with appropriate and relevant NHS specific experience is The Guardian Service. The Guardian Service has been working with NHS Highland for the past three years and NHS Highland would like to continue to provide this service to its employees for a further 12 months with the option to extend for up to another 12 months.

### Procurement Information

This procurement is unique in that the provider is offering a technical solution, based on it's specific positioning and experience, the likes of which is not available elsewhere in exactly the form that we desire to employ.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046168-2025 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Jun 2023 |
| Contract period | 31 Jul 2023 - 30 Nov 2025 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £691,980 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS HIGHLAND |
| Locality | INVERNESS |
| Post town | Inverness |
| Postcode | IV2 3BW |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands |
| ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands |
| Local authority | Highland |
| Electoral ward | Inverness South |
| Westminster constituency | Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire |
| Delivery location | TLM6 Highlands and Islands |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | THE GUARDIAN SERVICE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79633000 - Staff development services

## Release History

- 5 Aug 2025 at 13:24 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046168-2025
- 2 Aug 2023 at 08:54 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022410-2023
- 19 Jun 2023 at 10:55 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017308-2023

## Notice URLs

- http://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000740432
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00302

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03d761. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03d761.json.