BAME Network news and updates

6 March 2020

BAME Network presentation to the Partnership Board

Building on the leadership session in October 2019, BAME colleagues came together to help shape how we work together to make this ambition a reality and participants were encouraged to think 'outside of the box' in January. The session included senior leaders from West Yorkshire and Harrogate including one of the Partnership’s BAME Chief Executives sharing their own lived experience and journey into leadership. This led to a conversation to understand what was available across the area, as well as identifying gaps in support and exploring where the Partnership could add value.  There were also several sessions sharing good practice whilst exploring opportunities for further collaboration. Colleagues fed back about the importance of visible role models, peer support, a safe space to share experiences and the importance of a forum to shape and influence change across the Partnership, as well as what already exists within their organisations. 

Colleagues updated the Board on recent reports which highlighted the pay gap for people from BAME backgrounds. Recent staff NHS and local authority surveys highlighted that racism was the most common form of discrimination, and also saw the highest levels of reported sexism and intolerance of religion and sexuality. Creating a healthy, inclusive and compassionate culture is paramount to delivering the care people would expect and deserve.

Our work over the coming months will set out in more detail the work we will be doing to recognise talent and an increase into leadership roles.  The Partnership Board overwhelming approved the recommendations. The BAME staff network is now a formal part of our infrastructure, with real influence and purpose, including a role in the implementation of the core offer for all staff, the Partnership, NHS People Plan and the Leadership Compact across the system. This is all about talent, people and ethics. There was a commitment to take the work into local workforce groups and to ensure recognition to other minority groups, for example people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ colleagues.

15 November 2019

The BIG conversation: inclusion, diversity and the power of partnerships

Hello, we're Salma and Fatima. As members of the Partnership’s Leadership Group we had the privilege of being part of a BIG conversation in celebration of Black History Month (October).

The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent takeover included a twitter conversation led by Owen Williams, Chief Executive of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Richard Stubbs, Chief Executive of Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network and many others.

A series of 90 second film clips answering bold questions by leaders across the Partnership were shared which stimulated challenging debate and dialogue on how we could collectively turn the dial on inclusion and diversity. A number of talented BAME staff in leadership roles from the Partnership joined the conversation and celebration.

The feedback in the room (and virtually) was that the session was empowering, which some colleagues found thought provoking, with insights and perspectives that they had not considered before.

The West Yorkshire and Harrogate BAME talent takeover was one of the boldest and courageous leadership conversations that we have had the privilege of being part of in health and care and we wanted to share some of our reflections with you in this week’s blog.

Salma’s reflections

In joining the conversation with colleagues from across the area I was both humbled and filled with hope for the future. I experienced colleagues in the room sharing their vulnerabilities and having the faith to hold up the mirror, challenge and be challenged in open and very honest conversations. It was inspiring.

In my current role as director of strategy for SWYPFT, I experience daily first-hand the power of inclusive leadership and allies in helping people reach their potential and importantly their career aspirations. My decision to join the Trust was sealed when I personally experienced the organisation’s values-based recruitment process almost three years ago.

The value of consciously creating an inclusive Board that sets the tone for an organisation is a key part of the jigsaw. Our Board is led by Rob Webster, the Trust’s chief executive, and Angela Monaghan chair of the Trust. The Trust Board has more women than men, three of which are from BAME communities and I’m very proud to say I am one. I have also witnessed the impact of a thriving BAME network alongside our disabilities, LGBTQ+ and carers’ networks. These are great forums and a good place to hear first-hand about what colleagues need to help them stay healthy and happy at work.

We have seen some of our Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) indicators improve. However, we know we have much more work to do to ensure that, as a Trust, we are a great place to work for every employee and that our Trust reflects the diversity of the communities we serve at every level and across all our services. We know that a diverse workforce is directly related to improved care and outcomes for the people who access support.

This conversation made me reflect on the progress we have made so far as well as what else we can do. I am privileged to be in this role and in service to people from across different and diverse communities. It is critical that I continue to play my part in ensuring that inclusion remains a visible priority. I left the conversation feeling challenged with a renewed commitment and hopeful that we can collectively make the biggest difference across our area through the Partnership. Everyone can get involved and make a difference, simply by putting yourself in one of your colleagues’ shoes and thinking differently.

Fatima’s reflections

It can be tough enough growing up, and at a time when I was growing up as a British Muslim woman living in Yorkshire without any obvious role models in public life it felt quite scary to identify a space that I could confidently and comfortably contribute within. I am delighted to say that looking around the room I felt proud that there are many talented BAME leaders that are positive role models across our Partnership, and I consider myself one of them.

Being part of the BAME talent conversation made me realise the significance of networks, peer support, mentoring and role models that have impacted on my leadership journey both personally and professionally on many levels. The opportunity to influence a positive conversation to ensure that our leadership is more reflective of the people we serve is one that I fully embrace.

We know we can’t solve this in one session, and we did not intend to do that, all we wanted to do was to get people to leave the room thinking differently than when they arrived. I think this was achieved.

The session was timely given that October in the UK Celebrates Black History Month. It was a great way to ‘kick-start’ the month. The main aims of Black History Month are to celebrate the achievements and contributions of black people not just in the UK, but all over the world.

It also left us asking the question; what do we do next?

Salma and Fatima share their future aspirations

"Our hope for the future is articulated in our shared Partnership plan. In five years’ time we hope we can witness our collective legacy, so that more people across West Yorkshire and Harrogate are living healthier, have productive lives, and are achieving their true potential in communities that feel connected by staff they can relate too. We can only realise this ambition if our workforce is made up of all sections of the communities that we serve. This will mean that we need to go further in our commitment to ensuring that inclusion and tackling inequalities is the lived reality of the people that we serve, alongside our workforce - as they are one and the same."

"We, in our privileged leadership positions, must continue to act as ambassadors of hope in our communities and places. Whilst recognising that this is an incredibly challenging agenda, we need to remain focused on our values, relationships and solidarity across difference, starting with all that we have in common. The inclusion agenda is about all of us, there cannot be a hierarchy of diversity. Everyone is of equal value. We have to grapple with a much deeper understanding of lived experience starting with ourselves, and understanding and listening to staff, people who access care, and our communities. It is through this deeper shared understanding that we can act to make the difference that we want to see across the Partnership for our workforce now and all generations to come."