Our mission
We will build a fair and inclusive workforce culture at the heart of health services planning in south east London.
Our EDI strategy will enable and enhance the ICB’s ability to understand and meet the needs of our diverse workforce.
When the needs of our workforce are met, our teams become better equipped to fulfil our core purpose of improving access, experience and outcomes for our patients and populations with protected characteristics.
Foreword
by Tosca Fairchild, Chief of Staff & Equalities Senior Responsible Officer
It is not right or fair that people face discrimination and experience inequalities because of who they are or what they believe.
SEL ICB believes in being caring and inclusive. These are two of our organisational values and to be both things – and in turn to meet our duties and responsibilities – we must aim higher in our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) ambitions.
SEL ICB has created this strategy, which builds on our work so far to become a fully anti-racist, anti-ableist, anti-ageist, non-heteronormative organisation, welcoming of all faiths, beliefs and cultures, genders and orientations, and marital or pregnancy status.
Tackling these issues starts with our people. By building an inclusive, diverse and just culture where we recognise and address the obstacles our staff face, we will continue to create a strong and happy workforce who feel enabled to be their whole selves at work. Embedding this culture within our workforce pays forward; if we can fulfil the holistic needs of our staff, then they will be better able to identify, empathise, understand and meet the needs of our 1.92m population.
Nationally, NHS leadership has shown a renewed commitment to EDI, asking that ICBs retain their focus on it. It has always been our Board’s aim that we remain focussed, open and transparent about our current position to create opportunities for conversations in our organisation and increase momentum around EDI.
Our strategy provides a roadmap of action that has been woven into a broad range of ICB policies, processes and frameworks. This enables every ICB employee, at all levels, to consider, implement and champion equality in all that we do, both within the ICB and when carrying out our work on behalf of the organisation.
Evidence shows that embedding EDI in workplace cultures brings wider improvements and benefits to organisations. By being inclusive, we are building trust, supporting cohesion, promoting collaboration, driving innovation and tackling staff and patient health inequalities. Through having a more inclusive and diverse workforce, which reflects and understands the needs of our diverse and complex population, we will be able to better plan health services in south east London.
Read the sections of the strategy below
