Our EDI strategy is a necessary response to the discrimination that some of our staff experience in their working lives. We also recognise that discrimination faced outside of work can still affect people in the workplace. There is a more detailed description on the causes of discrimination in this strategy (see Causes of discrimination).
Within the NHS, we use the NHS Staff Survey as a barometer of staff experience regarding working conditions. The results of the 2024 Staff Survey paint a picture of the experiences some SEL ICB staff face:
- 352 employees participated in the survey in total and 11% reported having experienced discrimination from colleagues.
- 18% of 91 disabled staff reported having experienced discrimination from colleagues, compared to 9% of non-disabled staff
- 15% of 140 staff from ethnic groups reported having experienced discrimination from colleagues, compared to 9% of white staff
For people to feel empowered, engaged and effective at work, it is vital we think and act to recognise, understand and respond to discrimination and its impacts. This becomes even more important during periods of change and uncertainty.
This EDI strategy seeks to directly address these issues and findings with effective, evidence-based actions which respond to the current changes in the NHS. It looks beyond to what this could mean for the workforce as the ICB becomes a strategic commissioning organisation.
A lived experience of discrimination, from a SEL ICB employee:
“As I started my professional career in my teens, I learned about racism and saw how it unfolded in the health system. I quickly had to find my confidence and be assertive, but a black woman is never seen as being confident… only aggressive! If you see my confidence as aggression then it’s your problem, not mine.
I’ve worked in NHS organisations where I’ve seen toxicity and blatant racism on display. Experiencing that dulls your spirit, makes you invisible and can even damage your physical wellbeing. During one job I developed physical pain across my neck and shoulders; it was constant and it didn’t stop until I found a new job.
I shouldn’t have to beg to be viewed as human, but that’s how it can feel. The problem is, in any workplace it only takes one person to persecute you. Thankfully, I have an unwavering constitution and strong faith, and I know how to corral people around me so I can get the support I need.“
Read the sections of the strategy below
