Information for guardians of safe working hours
Access the resources that GoSWH will need in order to fulfill their roles. It includes, a job role specification, checklist of things to do, templates for annual reports and more.
This page will be updated soon to align with Version 13 of the terms and conditions of service and the recent exception reporting changes implemented from 4 February 2026.
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The guardian of safe working hours (GoSWH) ensures that issues of compliance with safe working hours are addressed by the doctor and the employer or host organisation as appropriate. It provides assurance to the board of the employing organisation that doctors' working hours are safe.
Resources for GoSWH
This section includes information and resources that the guardians of safe working hours will need to fulfil the role.
- Job description (.doc)
- Checklist of things to do (.doc)
- Guidance and templates on guardian of safe working hours quarterly and annual reports (pdf)
- Template for an annual board report for exception reporting (Word .doc)
- Protocol and suggested terms of reference for a regional guardian network (pdf)
- Junior doctors forum guidance (pdf)
- Checking your dashboard (pdf)
- Rota rules at a glance
- Relevant TCS schedules for guardians
- Clarification on roles of DME and guardian of safe working hours (pdf) - guidance from the National Association of Clinical Tutors (NACT)
