Item 8 - Sheffield Health and Social Care

Within our teams valuing difference is fundamental;it enables staff to create respectful workenvironments and to deliver high quality care andservices whilst giving service users the opportunityto reach their full potential.If unjustified discrimination occurs it will be takenvery seriously and may result in formal action beingtaken against individual members of staff, includingdisciplinary action.2.16.2 Equality and diversityIn 2012 we published Equality Objectives whichhave replaced the objectives in the Trust SingleEquality Scheme.Our Equality Objectives are:• Equality Objective 1 – To improve how we recordwhen service users have physical impairments• Equality Objective 2 – To improve how we recordsexual orientation• Equality Objective 3 – To improve staffsatisfaction for staff from black and minorityethnic (BME) groups• Equality Objective 4 – To improve informationabout staff who are carers• Equality Objective 5 – To identify at least oneequality objective annually through the Trustannual quality objective settingEquality and Diversity certificate of achievement• Equality Objective 6 – To share equalityobjectives with other local health andsocial care organisations.More information about how our Equality Objectiveswere identified and agreed and how we plan toachieve them can be found on the Trust’s website at:http://www.shsc.nhs.uk/about-us/Equality-Diversity-Human-Rights/Our-Equality-Objectives and in theTrust 2011/12 Annual Equality and Human RightsReport which is published on the Trust website at:http://www.shsc.nhs.uk/about-us/Equality-Diversity-Human-Rights/Meeting-our-Equality-DutiesThe Public Sector Equality Duty means that the Trusthas to have ‘due regard’ in all that it does to:• Eliminate discrimination, harassmentand victimisation• Advance equality of opportunity betweenpeople protected by the Equality Act and others• Foster good relations between people protectedby the Equality Act and others.The Trust’s Equality and Human Rights reportincludes information about the actions that theTrust has taken to support this Duty and to meetthe goals that the NHS has set in the NHS EqualityDelivery System to promote equality.Equality and Diversity Highlights of 2012/13Eliminating discrimination, harassmentand victimisation• In 2012 the Trust updated the range ofinformation published in our Annual Equalityand Human Rights reports to include moreinformation about the people who use ourservices. This information can be found on theTrust’s website in the Equality and Human RightsReport – Supplementary Data Report:http://www.shsc.nhs.uk/about-us/Equality-Diversity-Human-Rights/Meeting-our-Equality-DutiesAdvancing equality of opportunity forprotected groups• The Trust continued to develop three StaffNetwork Groups, and in 2012 an event was heldto mark the official launch of the Trust’s BME staffnetwork group. The event was a great success,with accounts from senior staff in the Trust abouttheir personal and professional experiences and aninspiring keynote speech from Uduak ArchibongPhD, Professor of Diversity at the University ofBradford. Kevan Taylor, Chief Executive, openedthe event and it was also attended by the DeputyChief Executive Mick Rodgers• A new policy on Gender Reassignment Supportin the Workplace was drafted• A survey of staff carers took place, i.e. staff whocare for a relative or friend. We received over100 responses and have developed an actionplan based on these responses• We started to develop a new strategyframework to promote equality of opportunityfor BME staff and service usersFostering good relations between people inprotected groups and others• We attended the Sheffield Lesbian, Gay, Bisexualand Transgender Pride event with colleaguesfrom NHS Sheffield to promote our mentalhealth services and anti-stigma work• The Trust continued its involvement inthe development of the city-wide EqualityEngagement group – this group aims to be afocus for engagement with groups protectedunder equality legislation and an opportunity towork in partnership with other NHS Trustsin Sheffield, and Sheffield Local Authority.2.16.3 Disability employmentIn 2012 we renewed our ‘two ticks’ standard andmaintained our action plan to support the Trust as aMindful Employer. In 2012, 4.69% of staff reportedthat they have a disability, a slight increase from4.23% in 2011.2.16.4 Staff engagement and working withStaff Side (Trade Unions)Engagement with staffWe have a workforce of over 3,000 staff (includingour flexible workforce). As a Trust we recognise thatthe right staff are our most valuable asset and weare committed to working in partnership with themin order to ensure that they are properly informedand engaged.We have a variety of mechanisms for engaging withour members of staff and we continue to abide by andsupport the NHS Constitution which applies to all NHSorganisations and sets out the principles and values ofthe NHS, its pledges to the public, service users andstaff as well as their rights and responsibilities.In 2012/2013, the Trust has worked in partnershipwith Staff Side in a number of areas. This includesupdating or introducing policies relating toCapability, Flexible Working, Social Media, GenderRe-Assignment, the Management of SicknessAbsence and Whistleblowing. This latter policyhas been significantly updated in line with currentguidance and will be further reviewed in linewith the recommendations of the Francis Report.Agreements were reached on a new ProtectionPolicy, on revised pay arrangements for our flexibleworkers and on the leave arrangements for theQueen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012. Therewere two separate national days of action calledduring the year by Unite and by the British MedicalAssociation. In both cases the Trust worked with thebodies concerned to ensure that patient safety wasnot compromised.The Trust also worked with the British MedicalAssociation to put in place the necessary elementsfor the revalidation of doctors, including a newAppraisal Policy for senior medical staff, andintroducing a process for remediation, i.e. thearrangements to apply where there are concernsabout the performance of a doctor.The Trust retains its commitment to work with StaffSide during this challenging period for the NHS.2930