Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Inclusion continues to be a significant element of focus across all aspects of our trust, including within our People Strategy.
We have introduced a cultural ambassador scheme, to ensure that recruitment and disciplinary processes are carried out in a non-discriminatory way.
We want to be the employer of choice for all our current and prospective colleagues and a provider of exceptional care for all our patients. We are seeking to go beyond mere compliance with our standards and the law, and through delivery of our diversity and inclusion strategy our ambitions for our patients and colleagues not because it must be done but because it is the right thing to do.
Work continued on delivering our action plans around our Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) work and the requirements under the EHRC S23 agreement. Our equality, diversity and inclusion group undertook a robust review of our action plans and the Board supported its recommendations to focus attention on a number of important activities.
Equality, diversity and inclusion activities continued to be monitored by the equality, diversity and inclusion group, which reports to the people committee, ensuring Board level scrutiny of this area of work.
Equality, diversity and inclusion activity continued to be highlighted during the year with some of our networks relaunching activities and meetings. Generally, network member coffee with the Chief Executive sessions were scheduled, communications plan for the networks developed, terms of reference reviewed and amended to include the roles and responsibilities of the Board leads and budget for networks agreed to continue into the new financial year to provide improved autonomy for the networks.
The network acts as a supportive group, not only for our colleagues with disabilities whether visible or invisible, but for anyone who supports someone with a disability, be it a colleague, family member or friend. They also welcome anyone who is interested in just finding out more about visible or invisible disabilities.
This network works with the Trust to utilise the skills and resources of its Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues and volunteers to add value to the organisation and make EEAST a great place to work
AWE supports improved experience within the workplace with a focus on gender and those issues impacting women at work. By tackling gender inequality and discrimination the Trust can be a better place to work and provide better patient care and experience to the communities we serve.
The LGBT+ Network meets regularly to focus on how the Trust can improve its focus and support LGBT+ colleagues whatever their role within the organisation.
The group works together to support colleagues of all beliefs and aims to raise awareness of different faiths throughout the Trust. Some faiths also have their own staff groups, which link in with the multi-faith network
