NHS Race Equality Award

HSJ Awards 2024 - NHS Race Equality Award
NHS Race Equality Award
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For any questions, please contact Frank Willing  

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Ethnic and racial differences are evident in relation to access, experience and outcome in areas that span perinatal health to end of life care, with these disparities being set against higher prevalence of numerous health conditions, including specific cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental ill health in ethnic minority populations across our country.

At the same time, we also know that ethnic minority healthcare staff do not always get the best experience in the workplace. One in every five members of the NHS workforce is from an ethnic minority background, yet only 11% of boards hold ethnic minority representation. Ethnic minority staff were more likely to enter formal disciplinary procedures, and around 15% of ethnic minority staff have reported experience of discrimination at work in the past 12 months.

This award recognises initiatives which either:

  • identify and tackle ethnic health inequalities for patients and communities; OR
  • promote race equality and inclusion within the workplace

A wide variety of ideas have been adopted to tackle ethnic health inequalities and to drive the race equality and inclusion agenda.

  • Policies and strategies to identify and close the gaps in inequalities between ethnic minority groups and the majority population
  • Culturally sensitive interventions to improve access, experience and outcomes within specific areas, specialism or care pathways
  • Reverse mentoring where white and ethnic minority staff seek to learn from each other’s lived experience within the workplace and beyond
  • Reviewing and revising policies and practices within the workplace to help promote inclusivity and equity for all

Tackling ethnic health inequalities is a critical step to ensuring everyone in society can live full and healthy lives regardless of their background. We also know that those NHS organisations which embrace the diversity of their workforce are more likely achieve higher levels of staff satisfaction, a positive working culture, improved patient outcomes and organisational efficiency.

Judges are looking for initiatives which can show tangible results in progress in areas such as: identification and tackling ethnic health inequalities for patients and communities; strategic and practical approaches towards the reduction of harassment and bullying, disciplinary experiences for ethnic minority healthcare staff; clear and evidenced career progression.

Eligibility

All NHS organisations (including partnerships and systems), General Practice and primary care organisations.

Ambition

  • Outline ethnic health inequalities that are of concern to your organisation
  • What do your data and evidence say about: (i) the level of ethnic health inequalities for the patients and diverse communities served by the organisation OR (ii) the past experience of ethnic minority staff within your organisation using staff surveys, WRES data and anecdotal testimonial.
  • What did you set out to achieve? Describe the initiative
  • What were your measures of success, providing detail on the benchmarks used?

Outcome

  • Judges are looking for quantitative evidence of: (i) identifying and tackling ethnic health inequalities OR (ii) improvements in equality of opportunity for progression, such as an increase in ethnic minority staff at senior levels, specifically at board level
  • Describe how the initiative was implemented to achieve these results
  • Provide testimonial evidence supporting your work
  • Include detail of sustained improvement in data, patient satisfaction scores, staff survey/FFT results, WRES data etc. over time

Spread

  • How has this initiative been rolled out across your organisation?
  • What efforts have been made to share your best practice examples with others in the NHS?
  • Provide evidence to support the sharing of your achievements and outcomes

Value

  • How has your work contributed to improvements in: (i) patient satisfaction/outcomes OR (ii) staff culture?
  • Judges will be looking for clear examples of the initiative benefiting individuals and their experience as patients or staff
  • Provide evidence where possible that your initiative has had a positive impact on patients and their friends and families
  • Provide evidence of any other positive impacts on staff or the organisation which could include a reduction in complaints and legal procedures
  • Describe how the initiative will achieve sustainability within the organisation

Involvement

  • Describe how the organisation worked directly with diverse patients/communities, or representatives and senior leaders in the assessment, design, implementation and review of the initiative
  • Judges will be looking for direct evidence of a consultative approach ensuring that ethnic minority staff were at the centre of any change
  • Judges will also be looking for patient consultation and engagement that has been both meaningful and sustained

NHS Race Equality Award

Start your entry

To find out more

Entries, attendance and sponsorship enquiries, contact awardssupport@hsj.co.uk 
Media and marketing enquiries, contact Honey de Gracia 0207 608 9002;
Judging and event management, contact Sheena Patel 0207 608 9039