MORE minority ethnic nurses moving up to senior positions demonstrates the “measurable progress” the health system is making to encourage racial equality in its staff, according to NHS England’s chief executive.
Amanda Pritchard emphasized the significance of advancing equality in the workplace and safeguarding minority ethnic personnel during her keynote address at the NHS Race and Health Observatory’s (RHO) international conference 2022, last Friday (8).
She stated that a solid foundation of values, including “everyone counts, dignity and respect, compassion, working together for patients, and commitment to equality,” was the foundation upon which the NHS was established.
But according to her, these guidelines weren’t always followed in the workplace.
She said: “Some of our colleagues still face discrimination on a daily basis in many forms: unequal opportunities for progression, bullying, harassment, and abuse, unequal standards they’re held to when it comes to disciplinary procedures.
“We need to be an NHS for everyone in society and that means we need voices around the board and planning tables that truly understand the experience and experiences and cultures of the communities we serve, and that can give those communities the confidence they need to access care when they need it.”
Pritchard cited the work of Yvonne Coghill at the RHO, who has a background in nursing and was formerly director of the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) implementation team at NHS England, as part of the progress being done to improve the experiences of minority ethnic personnel.
She announced that NHS England had identified the funding necessary for the RHO to enter its next phase between now and 2027 as part of a larger commitment to fostering racial equality.
According to her, this funding made it possible for the NHS to “stronger alignment” with its promises of racial equality in long-term plans.
She added: “The most important elements, for me, of the RHO’s approach, have been your focus on the things that really matter for patients, for communities and for those who provide services to them.
“Secondly, the way you have proactively engaged with teams at NHS England and in systems and I know other organisations too, to provide that insight and support.
“But thirdly, aligned to that your focus on impact, and turning insight into action. So please do carry on doing what you are doing.”
She also said that NHS England was looking forward to collaborating with the RHO to implement its work plans.
The NHS Race & Health Observatory (RHO) established by the NHS examines the health inequalities experienced by Black and minority ethnic communities in England. It works by facilitating research, making health policy recommendations, and enabling long-term transformational change.
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