Our staff networks are there for everyone to discuss how we can make our hospitals fairer places to work and receive care. They are also a safe and supportive space for staff. To ensure that conversations from network meetings help shape our hospitals, our network chairs are now part of our People and Culture Committee, which reports into our Trust board.

Farukh Hussain (left), who alongside Rosemary Idiaghe (right) co-chairs our BAME Network, explained more about his role on the committee: “It is clear, from the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard data over the last few years, there are issues we need to improve. Our networks were the first step. The next step is senior meetings, where the network chairs can raise issues in a confidential and senior environment. Staff should feel able to come to network meetings and trust they can raise whatever concerns they have and the network chairs can take that forward.”

 

 

Victoria Miles-Gale (left), chair of our LGBT+ Network, said: “If we want to influence staff experience in our Trust, for those who have a protected characteristic or not, we need to be where the conversation is taking place. It’s a two-way conversation between the people and culture committee and our networks.”

“I would like to see the committee start to understand our staff at a micro level. We know that a lower percentage of LGBT+ people at our Trust declare their sexuality or gender identity than the population, however, we don’t always understand individual reasons and barriers behind this. If we want people to be authentically themselves at work, what do they need in order to do that? This is a really good opportunity to bring the grassroots discussions to a senior level.”

 

Rose Gayle (left) is our Ability not Disability Network chair. She said: “Board members don’t always get to hear it like we do. We take people’s lived experiences to the committee so they can hear what is happening on the shop floor. Change can only come when a voice is heard and an experience is shared. Out of that, there can be action to make things better.”

“Some people don’t share that they have a disability because they don’t want negative responses which can weigh them down. I hope people will follow my lead and share, because by sharing you could make your life a bit better.”

“I also represent people from a union side, so I can bring both perspectives, and be a voice for people on the committee, whether they want to be anonymous or not.”

We look forward to welcoming the new co-chairs of our Women's Network and reference group, who will be announced soon, to future committee meetings.