What has the NHS done to address inequality and what can pharmacists learn?
The NHS has introduced the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) which focuses on tackling the issue of race inequality whilst allowing for greater visibility of not just the issues, but to hold NHS providers accountable and to monitor progress on their work on equality and inclusion. This approach by WRES is important to our sector and encourages action. Studies demonstrate that a motivated, inclusive and valued workforce helps to deliver high quality patient care, increased patient satisfaction and better patient safety.
On a more practical and local level, the three NHS hospitals researched have taken several initiatives forward including the introduction and active support of staff diversity networks by white colleagues, unconscious bias training for all staff, promoting ‘safe routes’ for raising racial concerns through appointed ‘Freedom to Speak Up Guardians’ and developing leadership programmes aimed at ethnic minorities which include mentoring.
A combination of these interventions have contributed to seeing a shift in attitude toward race equality and inclusion in these respective settings, albeit there is still considerable progress to be made, these hospitals are becoming better workplaces for all. It is widely understood that low staff morale affects patient care, it is therefore in the interests of all aspects of the healthcare profession to ensure that staff workplace satisfaction is high. Leadership is key to success of such intervention programmes, and leaders at all levels have a role to play in supporting and implementing the initiatives and addressing resistance and issues along the way.
In July 2020, the government announced the launch of an independent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. The aim is to examine inequality in the UK, across the whole population focusing on education, health, crime and policing, and employment. The PDA hopes to be able to contribute to the debate, not just within the pharmacy profession but in the healthcare sector.
Diversity and equality is at the core of the PDA’s ethos. There is growing demand from our members to get involved in challenging pharmacy to deliver on diversity and equality for pharmacists and to improve their experience in the workplace. Engagement for many members begins by joining one or more of our equality networks. The PDA understands that we need to work together, and addressing inequality and inclusion needs to be an ongoing activity that engages with and responds to people’s lived experiences, in our case, our members. |