31.07.20
NHS Confederation: ‘The People Plan a welcome opportunity’
The newly-published People Plan from NHS England has been welcomed by NHS Confederation’s Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders’ Network, BME Leadership Network and Health and Care Women Leaders Network.
Describing the plan as a welcome opportunity to tackle inequalities many may experience within the NHS, the respective heads of each of the networks took the time to praise the plan and emphasise the need for everyone to pitch in and realise what has been outlined.
Peter Molyneux, Chair of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the Health and Care LGBTQ+ Network, said: “It is good to see that the plan recognises that the majority of staff who are LGBTQ+ do not feel able to be their authentic selves at work.
“We look forward to being part of the development of a more inclusive culture in the NHS and one that holds us all to account for its delivery.
“Only this way will we build an NHS that is truly reflective of wider society and genuinely inclusive for staff and patients who are L, G, B, T or Q.”
Joan Saddler, Director of Partnerships and Equality at the NHS Confederation, and Ifti Majid, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and co-chair of the BME Leadership Network, added: “The People Plan offers a welcome opportunity to reset much needed accountability and reporting structures for equality, diversity and inclusion. Without a robust framework we will continually miss the essential transformational leverage to be gained from engagement with our diverse workforce and communities.
“The plan clearly begins to recognise the impact that health inequalities and discrimination have had on BME colleagues for many years and that a clear process for improvement is required.
“However, it is still down to us locally to successfully make the change in culture so that the whole workforce can thrive. The impact of COVID-19 demonstrates the system’s ability to act quickly where needed. The People Plan demonstrates there is no greater need than supporting diverse leaders and a dedicated workforce, enabling local care for all.”
Samantha Allen, Chair of the Health & Care Women Leaders Network and Chief Executive of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Health and Care Women Leaders Network welcomes the publication of the NHS People Plan today. The NHS is 1.3 million strong and 77% of the NHS workforce are women. Each of us, collectively and individually, plays a significant role in caring for our communities – we all need to take action to deliver the vision that is described.
“We welcome the ‘promise’ included in the plan and want to be part of taking action to enable an NHS that tackles the inequalities many experiences and can create environments where everyone feels a strong sense of belonging. Key to this will be seeing more women able to progress to senior roles across the NHS.”