Spotlight on inclusion

Our Trust is one of the most diverse in England, with a workforce of over 8,500 that reflects north west London’s communities and cultures. We are committed to creating a positive culture of inclusion in everything we do, strengthened by our HEART values: a culture where staff feel included regardless of who they are or what they do; a workplace where staff are equally involved and supported to be the best that they can be. By developing a culture that embraces inclusion, we can create an environment where our diverse patient population receive the highest standards of care that – meets their individual needs, and is delivered with dignity, compassion and respect.

Creating a culture of inclusion: everyone counts

Obi Maduako-Ezeanyika, Assistant Director of Organisational Development and Learning, who is responsible for equality diversity and inclusion, looks back on the progress made during 2020, and forward to the priorities for the coming year that will work to shape and strengthen our culture of inclusion.

Board priorities

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the lives of our staff and the Obi Maduako-Ezeanyika communities that they serve. The impact has been felt most acutely among those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, people with disabilities and our older colleagues. In response, the Trust Board identified a number of priorities to quickly address those key inclusion issues that affect the working lives of our staff. These priorities include: • Our executive directors being champions for diversity and inclusion.

Leading on issues such as ethnicity and disability to ensure that the Trust is taking action to address inequality and influencing changes to tackle behaviours and structures that are barriers to inclusion. In these roles, executive directors act as visible champions and advocates for diversity and inclusion. • Board members have also been actively involved in our mentoring and reverse mentoring programmes for BAME staff. This has enabled them to gain insight and better understanding of Trust issues faced by BAME colleagues. This in turn helps to inform the thinking and decision making of the Board about issues that affect our patients.

Strengthening engagement

During 2020 we have continued to strengthen our engagement with staff through listening events and working in partnership with our staff networks. COVID-19 has meant that events have taken place virtually. These meetings have had a positive impact on staff morale and helped to broaden our reach across the organisation in a way we were not previously able to do. Most importantly, we are listening to our staff and acting on their feedback. We have also been able to involve external expert speakers at these events including Yvonne Coghill, Director of Workforce Race Equality Standard Implementation NHS England, Professor Kevin Fenton, Public Health England National Director for Health and Wellbeing and Dr Habib Naqvi, Director NHS Race and Health Observatory. We will be extending more invitations to guest speakers during 2021.

Disability inclusion

We continue to create a positive culture where negative attitudes and behaviours about disability and sexual orientation can be challenged. We believe that our staff networks can be strong partners in realising this goal. During 2020, we achieved Disability Confident Employer (level 2) status demonstrating our commitment to increasing our appeal to disabled people. We have relaunched our Disability Inclusion Network which will act as a powerful advocate for our disabled staff. Similarly, we are exploring how we can better support staff with caring responsibilities. We also worked closely with the BAME Network to implement COVID risk assessments for staff and the launch of a staff helpline. Our staff networks provide informed feedback that helps ensure that we continue to make improvements that meet the needs of our staff and enhance the care provided to our patients.

Developing leaders and supporting progression

One of our key priorities is creating an inclusive leadership at all levels of the organisation. In 2020, we launched several innovative development initiatives and programmes that will help increase the diversity of our leadership. We have already:

• Launched the progressive 2-7 development programme: a career development programme for staff at AfC bands 2-7 • Launched cohort two and three of the BAME leadership programme • Appointed three BAME non-executive directors to strengthen diversity of decision making at the board level • Undertaken a full review of our recruitment and selection processes for inclusive practices • Introduced recruitment and selection equality champions to sit on recruitment panels. Champions provide oversight and advice on equality and diversity during recruitment.

LOOKING AHEAD

Looking towards the future Obi says: “COVID-19 will continue to present challenges for the health and wellbeing of our staff and patients throughout 2021 and beyond. This makes our work on inclusion even more important. In 2020, 53% of our staff completed the NHS annual staff survey, our highest response rate ever. Through the survey they have told us what we are doing well and where we can make positive changes. “The Trust is listening and in 2021 it has a clear ambition to accelerate the momentum for change on inclusion. This will be driven by a new equality diversity and inclusion strategy that will be developed in collaboration with staff, shaped by the issues affecting the Trust and help to deliver better care to our patients. The road to successful inclusion and culture change is long. Our achievements during 2020 have established strong foundations on which we will continue to build and create a diverse and culturally inclusive organisation where everyone counts.”

Focusing on health inequalities

Resilience and respect are key watchwords for Dipen Rajyaguru, the Trust’s Equality, Inclusion and Diversity and Organisational Development Lead. Dipen told Our Trust about how his personal experiences have shaped his career path. “I arrived in England with my family in 1972, when we fled as refugees from Idi Amin’s Uganda. Having left behind everything we owned, we had to start again in an alien culture and environment. Dipen Rajyaguru My memories of growing in the 1970s include having to face overt racism where the ‘school run’ often involved being chased by farright skin-heads. Nevertheless, these early experiences taught me valuable lessons of resilience and giving respect and full consideration to people regardless of how different they are. I know what it is like to have lost privileges and I am determined to use the privileges I have gained to make an equitable, positively impactful and just contribution. This determination has motivated my career and life options. I have over 25 years (including15 years in the NHS) experience in the voluntary, private and public sectors specialising and leading in the field of EDI, stakeholder engagement and human rights. I have been head of equalities for NHS London, assistant director for equality & patient experience for NW London Collaboration of CCGs and the lead in London for the census rehearsal for the Office for National Statistics. I’ve been at the Trust since February 2020.

Health inequalities emphasised by the pandemic

The virus has emphasised the health inequalities that exist in our society and has shown that we can and must do more to address the divides. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”

Board champions

Throughout 2020, we have demonstrated our duty of care to patients and staff through the amazing ways we adapted and changed the way we work. Since joining the Trust in March 2020, Chris Bown, chief executive, has become the Board champion for race/ethnicity. He holds regular meetings with the BME Staff Network and monthly open listening events with all staff to help understand what the organisation can do to ensure equality and support a more inclusive workforce. Other Board members are designated champions for protected equality characteristics including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

PLANS FOR 2021

While COVID-19 will continue to present challenges for the NHS during 2021, we will work to ensure that equality, inclusion and diversity remain central to our Trust plans.

We will implement the actions from Workforce Race Equality Standard and Workforce Disability Equality Standard to ensure that careers can be progressed and staff are treated fairly.

Our successful bid to the NHS Charities Together Grants will support a two phased project to find out how to enhance the experience and empower our non-English speaking patients. The first phase will be to help patients understand and make informed decisions about their healthcare and improve their outcomes (during the COVID-19 pandemic). The second phase will focus on meeting the language needs of patients by using technology such as tablets and apps.

We will also work to further empower our staff networks including the re-launched Disability Inclusion Network, LGBTQI Staff Network and BME Staff Network and look to create additional networks, such as one for those with caring responsibilities.

I actively encourage more staff to join and support the staff networks (remember you can join as an ally) and take advantage of what they offer. For further information on any aspect of equality, diversity and inclusion please do get in touch with me on dipen.rajyaguru@nhs.net “

Pedro Silva

Chair of the LGBTQI Network

What is your role at the Trust?

I am Lead Nurse for emergency and ambulatory care.

How did you become involved in the LGBTQI Network?

I read on the intranet that the network was being revamped and that staff could apply to be a member.

Why is the network important?

The network plays a vital role in making sure that staff and patients have a voice and can express their fears and anxieties. It also provides a safe place where subjects can be discussed.

What do you consider to be the key challenge for the network in 2021?

Planning for how we will move forward once the pandemic is over.

How can staff get involved in the network?

Please email lnwh-tr.lgbtqi@nhs.net and also keep a look out for our news updates on the intranet and in The Pulse.

Tehmina Masud

Chair of the BME Network

What is your role in the Trust?

As a patient advice and liaison service (PALS) officer I help patients, relatives and visitors with information and advice about the Trust and its services. I also help those who want to provide feedback or raise a complaint about their experience. In my role as chair of the BME Network, I lead and give direction to the network. I am available to support members and attend Trust meetings on behalf of the network to raise questions and concerns on behalf of our members. I chair executive committee meetings and lead on planning of the network’s AGM and action plans.

How did you become involved in the BME Network?

I applied for the position of chair and was duly elected and subsequently re-elected. In my role as a PALS officer staff would ask me “what about a PALS for staff”? So, you could say that my involvement with the network was in response to the wishes of colleagues. I also had experience of being a Trustee for the National PALS Network and have always been passionate about helping others and be the voice for the voiceless. When I was 15, I used to speak to focus groups about the difficulties experienced by immigrants when coming to settle in the UK.

Why is the network important?

The BME Network plays a vital role in helping the Trust deliver high quality care and equality through their unique ability to: • Improve equality considerations during the recruitment process. • Share the lived experience of BAME staff. • Reach seldom heard voices. • Identify future leaders. • Advise on differing cultural needs. • Helping the Trust to work in ways that embrace diversity and inclusion. • Provide feedback on strategic areas of work.

What do you consider to be the key challenges of the network?

Currently, COVID-19 is the key priority for the network. We work to raise staff concerns with senior management through meetings and staff engagement. Embedding the BME helpline (020 8453 2150) and, as more staff use the helpline, use the data gathered to learn from themes and trends to support BME staff. Post COVID-19 our priorities will include: • The health and wellbeing of staff. • Developing short-term and long-term action plans to achieve our objectives. • Grow the network’s membership. • Secure resources. • Succession planning, organising AGM and hold elections.

How can staff become involved?

Staff can join the network by emailing lnwh-tr.bmestaffnetwork@nhs.net in response they will be sent an application form.

Working to raise disability awareness

Simon Crawford, Director of Strategy and Deputy Chief Executive, is the Board champion for disability. In this role, he chairs meetings of the Disability Inclusion Network. Simon’s NHS career includes 20 years working in mental health services and 7 years in learning disabilities.

Why is your role as the Board disability champion important?

I see raising awareness and recognising disability across the Trust as key priorities. Currently, we simply do not know enough about the disabilities that our staff have. For example, our records show that just under 2 per cent of staff have a disability but, in the annual staff survey, nearly 11 per cent of respondents declare as having a disability.

How would you define disability?

Across the organisation we have a diverse workforce of more than 8,000 staff so disabilities will not always be obvious. They may be long or short-term disabilities and may also encompass mental health as well as physical disability.

If we recognise disability what difference will that make?

I believe that it will make a massive difference but first we need to give staff the confidence to say that they have a disability and, if needed, ask for help. We are committed to ensuring that the workplace is as accessible as it can be for all our staff. There may be adjustments that need to be made in terms of IT, office equipment or the work environment. However, we cannot make these changes unless we are made aware of people’s needs.

How will this work help with your role on the Trust Board?

While I am a champion for disability, fellow Board members are designated champions for other protected characteristics. Together, drawing on this work, we can ensure a more consistent, informed and equitable approach to inclusion and diversity. Having a Board champion also provides an additional channel of communication for staff to raise issues and influence the Board prioritisation of issues and decision making.

Can staff without disabilities also get involved?

Absolutely. Think about what the experience of a colleague with a disability might be in your team. What can be done differently and how can improvements be made? If you do know colleagues with a disability take time out to speak to them and ask if there are changes that can be made to improve the way in which we work. Another great way to get involved, whether you have a disability or wish to be an ally, is to join our re-launched Disability Inclusion Network (DIN) for staff. Where we have a safe space for staff to discuss issues, share ideas and suggest improvements. For more information about the DIN, please contact dipen.rajyaguru@nhs.net