Jargon buster:
  • WRES = Workforce Race Equality Standard
  • WDES = Workforce Disability Equality Standard
  • NSS = National staff survey
  • EDI = Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
  • ICB = Integrated Care Board

Strategic EDI Group

Aim 1 - Make recruitment and career progression more inclusive

Links to WRES and WDES and NSS data, NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 2)
1.1: Complete the maturity assessment for inclusive recruitment based on NHSE best practice 
1.2: Agree action plan 
1.3: Develop and deliver inclusive recruitment training package (including development of e-learning package) 
1.4: Mandate training for all recruitment panels 
1.5: Develop process for confirming all panel members are trained
1.6: Agree pilot for diverse interview panels 
1.7: Create and implement a talent management plan to improve the diversity of executive and senior leadership teams (by June 2024) and evidence progress of implementation (by June 2025)
1.8: Implement a plan to widen recruitment opportunities within local communities, aligned to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. This should include the creation of career pathways into the NHS such as apprenticeship programmes and graduate management training schemes (by October 2024). Impact should be measured in terms of social mobility across the integrated care system (ICS) footprint.
Aim 2: Board and executive level support to deliver the EDI agenda

Links to NSS results, WRES and WDES Board representation data, NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 1 and 6)
2.1: Board and Exec to review organisational data (NSS, WRES, WDES) to understand organisational culture and support the development and implementation of improvement plans highlighting specific areas of concern e.g. setting reduction targets to improve staff experience
2.2: Every executive and board member to have a EDI objective (SMART) within their appraisal 
2.3: Implement the executive sponsorship of each of the staff networks
2.4: Implement the reverse mentoring model and compassionate inclusion training with Exec team
2.5: Board and Exec to agree a plan of action for how they will improve Board level diversity 
2.6: Exec team to continue to support and embed the Armed Forces agenda 
2.7: Board and Exec's to implement staff lived experience stories on ED&I issues at People Committee and Trust Board
2.8: Staff Network Chairs protected time to be approved and implemented
Aim 3: Develop and implement an improvement plan to eliminate pay gaps

Link to Gender Pay Gap Report, NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 3)
3.1: Implement the Mend the Gap review recommendations for medical staff and develop a plan to apply those recommendations to senior non-medical workforce (by March 2024)
3.2: Analyse data to understand pay gaps by protected characteristic and put in place an improvement plan. This will be tracked and monitored by NHS boards. Reflecting the maturity of current data sets, plans should be in place for sex and race by 2024, disability by 2025 and other protected characteristics by 2026.
Aim 4: Implement a flexible working policy that supports the improvements identified in the Mend the Gap Review and Talent Management Plan

Links to Gender Pay Gap Report, NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 2 and 3)
4.1: Implement an effective flexible working policy including advertising flexible working options on organisations’ recruitment campaigns
Aim 5: Share best practice in the region on all EDI forums

Links to NSS, WRES and WDES
5.1: Connect with ICB and Place partners to share best practice in EDI 
5.2: Attend and be an active member of the ICP EDI steering group
5.3: Attend and be an active member of the ICB/ICS EDI steering group  
5.4: Be an active participant at the NHS Employers Diversity in Health and Care Partners Programme and share learning with NCIC 
Aim 6: Implement a system wide approach to Equality Impact Assessments
6.1: Work with the ICB to create a new framework and training on EIA process
6.2: Agree how this will be implemented at trust level  
Aim 7: Review our approach to our staff networks to ensure we are enabling and supporting diverse voices to be heard
7.1: Coordinate an engagement event with the staff network chairs and co-chairs
7.2: Review Staff Network Governance Framework which includes roles and responsibilities and terms of reference
Aim 8 - Develop and implement an improvement plan to address health inequalities within the workforce

Links to NSS, WRES, WDES, and NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 4)
8.1: Line managers and supervisors should have regular effective wellbeing conversations with their teams, using resources such as the national NHS health and wellbeing framework
8.2: Work in partnership with community organisations, facilitated by ICBs working with NHS organisations and arm’s length bodies, such as the NHS Race and Health Observatory. For example, local educational and voluntary sector partners can support social mobility and improve employment opportunities across healthcare
Aim 9: Implement a comprehensive induction, onboarding and development programme for internationally-recruited staff

Links to NSS, WRES, WDES, and NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 5)
9.1: Pre-employment - ensure international recruits receive clear communication, guidance and support around their conditions of employment ; including clear guidance on latest Home Office immigration policy, conditions for accompanying family members, financial commitment and future career options
9.2: Create comprehensive onboarding programmes for international recruits, drawing on best practice
9.3: Line managers and teams must maintain cultural awareness to create inclusive team cultures that embed psychological safety (links to cultural awareness programme)
9.4: Ensure international recruits access development opportunities to support career progression
Aim 10: Create an environment that eliminates the conditions in which bullying, discrimination, harassment and physical violence at work occur

Links to NSS, WRES, WDES, and NHSE EDI Improvement Plan (High Impact Action 6)
10.1: Review disciplinary and employee relations processes to provide assurances that all staff who enter into formal processes are treated with compassion, equity and fairness
10.2: Ensure safe and effective policies and processes are in place to support staff affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence (DASV)
10.3: Provide comprehensive psychological support for all individuals who report that they have been a victim of bullying, harassment, discrimination or violence
10.4: Have mechanisms to ensure staff who raise concerns are protected by their organisation
10.5: Create an environment where staff feel able to speak up and raise concerns, with steady year-on-year improvements. Board report to enable the review of this information by protected characteristics.
Aim 11: Implement round table discussions to raise awareness of various topics across all protected characteristics 

Links to National Staff Survey
11.1: Research round table discussion formats 
11.2: Pilot round table discussions e.g. what is a protected characteristic  
11.3: Evaluate impact of this approach and agree next steps 

Cultural Diversity Staff Network

Aim 12: Improve the experiences of our Overseas Educated staff 

Links to WRES and NSS data. Also local listening channels. Number of overseas educated nurses choosing to stay at NCIC.
12.1: Review the Level 1 Cultural Awareness induction training offer 
12.2: Design and agree an implementation plan for Level 2 Cultural Awareness training offer to all Trust staff, including an agreed delivery pool of trainers  
12.3: Implement the 17 Seconds Level 3 Cultural Awareness training offer for ward managers / leaders to manage challenging discrimination conversations/ situations
12.4: Recruit Respect and Inclusion Ambassadors across all Collaboratives at HCA (Health Care Assistant) level
Aim 13: Contribute to the development of a Ward Accreditation System 

Links to WRES and NSS data.  Also local listening channels. Number of overseas educated nurses choosing to stay at NCIC.
13.1: Link with Project Team and contribute to the development and implementation
13.2: Pre-placement contract 
13.3: Establish a "what good looks like" scoring system 

 LGBT+ Staff Network 

Aim 14: Implement a set of standards / data for LGBT+ colleagues

Our LGBT+ colleagues have a voice that counts and provide feedback on their experiences at work - National Staff Survey
14.1: Link in with the ICB to establish what plans there are to agree specific data for LGBT+ 
14.2: Investigate reporting options from NSS with Quality Health 
Aim 15: Raise awareness of the Menopause across the LGBT+ community 

National Staff Survey
15.1: Looking at menopause beyond ‘just women’ conducting research on best practice 
15.2: Establish an offer of support, education and awareness raising at the trust 
Aim 16: Improve ESR demographic options in relation to gender 

ESR declaration improved 
16.1: Review the updated ESR demographic options for LGBT+ colleagues 
16.2: Investigate whether we can use Trac demographic data for ESR
16.3: Collaborate with ESR local and national teams to implement any required improvements  

DisAbility Staff Network  

Aim 17 - Improve support package available to staff and leaders at the trust around the reasonable adjustments process 

Links to WDES and NSS. Long term sickness figures improve.
17.1: Finalise and approve the Reasonable Adjustments guidance document 
17.2: Launch the new approach to reasonable adjustments 
17.3: Commission training offer on reasonable adjustments
17.4: Link with ICP and share best practice
17.5: Agree baseline measures and KPI's for measuring success
Aim 18: Implement central funding for reasonable adjustments

Improvements in time for Reasonable adjustments to be implemented
18.1: Research best practice 
18.2: Data collection of reasonable adjustments implemented 
18.3: Develop a proposal for change 
18.4: Gain approval, implement and agree process