Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Trust continues to purposefully value the diversity in its staff, students, patients, visitors and all service users. This is driving the Trust to continue treating its diversity and inclusion with great importance and work to ensure they provide fair and equitable treatment for all. This is being driven ensuring that all actions and working practices comply with both the determination and intention of the Human Rights Act (1998) and the Equality Act (2010).

 

As a public organisation, Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust also has a duty under ‘The Public Sector Equality Duty’ (PSED) as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to pay due regard to the need to:

The Trusts Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) ambition is to ensure all those from the nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation) as identified by the Equality Act 2020 have more safe spaces. These spaces enable staff to have a voice and speak up having honest conversations about work-life experiences, wellbeing, development and any other issues of concern while influencing changes to be implemented within the Trust.

The Trust was accepted by NHS England & NHS Improvement onto the Disability Confident Scheme which was led in conjunction with the Shaw Trust and Indeed.  The scheme has 3 levels designed to support employers on their Disability Confident journey, these are:

 

A lot of collaborative work took place within the KGH Human Resources Team in order to provide all required evidence, and the Disability And Wellbeing Support (DAWS) EDI Network Co-chairs and the EDI Trust Board Sponsors were part of the journey which led to the organisation achieving Level 3 – Disability Confident Leader.

 

Read the case study submitted - KGH Disability Confident Leader Case Study

 

As a Disability Confident Leader, the Trust continues to create a movement of change which helps to recruit, retain and develop disabled people who will help the organisation to continue succeeding. The Disability Confident badge also shows that we recognise the value disabled staff bring to the organisation.

 

 

The continuing growth of members for all the EDI Networks has had a positive impact in enhancing a culture of inclusivity and ensuring staff feel able to bring their whole selves to work and give them a sense of belonging. The Trust has also utilised the platform to build trust with those who are dis-engaged so they also can have an impact on inclusivity within the Trust.

 

EDI Networks have also empowered the organisation in ensuring it understands the needs of those from protected groups. This has empowered the organisation in ensuring it has a clear and inclusive EDI Strategy Plan which has given those from protected groups the opportunity to influence the inclusivity journey the organisation embarked on.

 

The KGH Equality Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Action Plan   is a key driver which is enabling the organisation to keep monitoring itself on changes being implemented within the Trust, relating to agreed changes from the EDI Networks, Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and the Staff Survey.

 

Gender Pay Gap Report 2021 

EDS 2022 Plan for Diabetes and Chaplain Services - April 2022 to March 2023. [xlsx] 19KB 

The Trust also continues to ensure inequalities are being reduced in all policies, procedures, functions and various initiatives within the organisation by requesting the completion of Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) from those implementing any change.

 

The process has ensured the organisation is working closely with all EDI Networks and our patients to better understand the impact of changes for their different groups and ensure the best responses are outlined by the Trust to ensure risks identified in the EIA are mitigated or reduced. This is supporting the organisation to ensure any unjustifiable discrimination against any protected groups are addressed. The Trust continues to maintain excellent relationships with different key stakeholders (Staff side representatives, Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, Employment Relations, Recruitment, Learning and Development) in driving and ensuring the EDI agenda is successful within the organisation.