Equality Diversity Human Rights Annual Report 2014 / 15

Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Annual Report 2014/15

Contents Executive Summary

2

The Legal & Compliance Framework

3

Moving Beyond Legal Compliance

4

Progress with Equality Objectives

8

Getting it right for our patients

11

Getting it right for our workforce

12

Strengthening Equality & Diversity

16

Emerging issues and priorities for 2015

16

Knowing our communities - reflecting our diverse communities

17

Lasting Change

18

Also available on our website: Patient Equalities Data Report 2014-2015 Workforce Equalities Data Report 2014-2015

Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Annual Report 2014/15

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Executive Summary Welcome to the second Equality Diversity & Human Rights Annual Report that the trust has produced. In last year’s report we outlined the key actions contained within our Equality Strategy which we believed, following our consultation process, were the key actions that we needed to develop in the forthcoming year. Therefore in this year’s report we will be sharing progress with you and describing how already we have begun to see the benefits for both patients and staff and the wider community, in regard to providing quality health care in every patient contact we have.

Through understanding the diversity of the individuals we engage with we can ensure that no barriers exist and that their experience is positive and free from assumptions based upon lack of awareness.

By maintaining this proactive approach the trust believes that it can ensure the promotion of equality of opportunity and an environment free from discriminatory practice amongst different groups of people, ensuring that potentially vulnerable groups and individuals are supported and their needs are addressed in ways that is best suited to them.

The purpose of this Equality Report is to show the specific progress the trust has made during 2014/15 in meeting its equality duties under: Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Public Sector Equality Duty- PSED) and The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011.

This report provides assurance to the Trust Board, our patients, staff, stakeholders and the communities we serve, of how the trust is meeting the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty. This report complies with the specific duties outlined within the Act, which are legal requirements designed to help the trust meet the General Equality Duty. The report is structured around the following key themes: • The Legal & Compliance Framework • Moving Beyond Legal Compliance • Progress on our Equality Objectives • Getting it right for our patients • Getting it right for our staff • Strengthening Equality & Diversity • Emerging Issues and priorities for 2015-16 • Knowing our communities- Reflecting our diverse communities • Lasting Change The trust strives to provide the highest quality of service to all of its patients and a positive employment experience for staff. Equality and diversity considerations are part of the trust’s work to improve the experience and health outcomes for everyone in its care. This report highlights our approach and work to address any additional needs of those patients and staff who may identify with a range of protected characteristics.

Simon Gilby Frances Street Chief Executive (up until 31 July 2015) Chairman Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Annual Report 2014/15

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What we are required to do - The Legal and Compliance Framework Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act came into force from October 2010 providing a modern, single legal framework with clear, streamlined law to more effectively tackle disadvantage and discrimination. On 5 April 2011, the Public Sector Equality Duty came into force. The equality duty was created under the Equality Act 2010. The equality duty consists of a general equality duty, with three main aims (set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) and specific duties for public sector organisations. The Equality Act requires public bodies like Wirral Community NHS Trust to publish relevant information to demonstrate their compliance with the duty.

The Act applies to service users and trust employees who identify with the following protected characteristics:• Sex • Age * • Disability * • Race • Sexual orientation • Gender reassignment • Marriage or civil partnership • Pregnancy or maternity • Religion or belief The duty has two parts – the general duty and the specific duties. The general equality duty means that the Trust must have due regard to the need to: • Eliminate unfair discrimination, harassment and victimisation • Advance equality of opportunity between different groups • Foster good relationships between different groups It must do this by removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics; taking steps to meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people; and encouraging people from protected groups to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

The specific duties are legal requirements designed to help the trust meet the general equality duty.

These require the publication of: Annual information to demonstrate our compliance with the Equality Duty published on our website by 31st January each year. Equality Objectives (which are specific and measurable) published for the first time by April 5th 2014, reviewed annually and re-published at least every four years. *Age has been broken down to focus on the different needs of older and younger people and disability has been broken down to address the different needs of those with visual, hearing, physical, learning and mental health impairment.

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Moving Beyond Legal Compliance Wirral Community NHS Trust, like all public sector bodies, has legal responsibilities under the Equality Act of 2010. As part of achieving legal compliance we are required to undertake a number of key actions. However, both in regards to both our patients and our workforce we want to go beyond meeting our equality duties; we want to develop, share and recognise areas of good practice.

The actions we have so far identified have been developed after consultation with our workforce and patients and stakeholders. By listening to their needs and understanding barriers they might be facing we have begun to recognise how by identifying some key equality action across the trust we can support need and raise quality in both our service provision and employment.

Equality Diversity & Human Rights Strategy – One Year On Progress on our Strategy Key Actions During the last year the trust has begun to make consistent and realistic progress with each of the key actions.

By the nature of each action the aims of the general equality duty can be further evidenced.

Staff Support Networks The Staff Support networks have made varying progress and in particular the BME Staff Support Network has proven difficult to establish. The reasons for this centre primarily on two factors, low percentage of BME as part of the workforce and the different work patterns of BME staff. The premise of holding one regular monthly meeting has not produced a result as a method of engagement. Therefore, the BME Staff Support Network has been placed on hold while other means of engaging with BME staff are identified. One method has been the use of the Equality events, two events of particular interest to BME staff have been developed and attendance at one event by BME staff was achieved.

Equality Champions Jane Harris Ellie Watts Helen Young Martin Hackett Helen Lundy Ewen Sim Phillipa Compson Paula Jones Julie Griffin James Armitage Trudie Philpott Natasha Bale Murray Freeman

Falls Team Quality and Governance Heart Failure Service Named Nurse Safeguarding - Children Community Nurse Co-Ordinator- Bank Medical Director Centre Manager, ADHC District Nursing, Liscard Livewell Team Community Night Nursing Service Health Visitor, Birkenhead Health Visitor, Leasowe/Moreton team Non-Executive Director, GP at Victoria Park Health Centre

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The Equality Champions meet on a regular basis and discuss different topics and also discuss any issues that they have knowledge of and identify means to address them.

“As an E&D champion I have become more aware of E&D, issues that staff may face and attending events I have learnt things I didn’t know! I also really enjoyed the equality analysis training that has really made me think!’’

Phillipa Compson Business Manager – Lifestyle Service The Equality Champions can provide support and assistance to colleagues on equality issues and have championed attendance at the different equality events that have taken place over the last year.

“Being part of the equality champions group I have felt that it has helped me to have a greater awareness of equality issues in all aspects of my work and to promote this with others. Listening to a colleague talking about OCD made me realise that I needed to be more aware of barriers in work that aren’t always visible and the effect they can have on my colleagues and potential employees.

This message I now promote with others within the organisation.”

Helen Lundy ICCT Manager

Helen Lundy and Dr Ewen Sim (2nd and 3rd from left), receiving the award for Equality & Diversity at the Staff awards on behalf of the Equality Champions group.

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Community Equality Panel In 2014 we recruited the following individuals to the Community Equality Panel.

The members of our Community Equality Panel are from a variety of community backgrounds with specific understanding of the needs of people from the protected groups, to help shape our equality and diversity plans. They will help us to understand barriers and identify any gaps.

Carmel Calvert Garrick Prayogg Henry Poultney Emma Richards Chloe Harvey Jamie Anderson Libby Heath Angela Murphy Helen Fitzpatrick Sally Jardine Manisha Sharma Kevin Donavan Anne Gay Maggi Hammond

Healthwatch Wirral Project Coordinator Wirral Cultural Diversity Group Wirral BRM Voice, Wirral LGBT Network Terrance Higgins Trust (Wirral) Wirral Mencap Learning Disability Wirral Age Concern Older Peoples Rep Young People’s Representative Healthwatch Wirral Tomorrow’s Women Wirral Trust member Trust member Trust member Trust member Trust member Trust Member

“I am a volunteer member for Healthwatch Wirral with a particular interest in equality and diversity on their behalf. I was therefore very pleased to be asked by Tony to sit on the trust’s Community Equality Panel representing Healthwatch.

I spent my whole working life working within the NHS locally and I am passionate about everyone receiving the same service from the NHS. Unfortunately, this is still not the case but progress is definitely being made now towards meeting this requirement. The panel has a very wide diversity of representation and hopefully we shall make a difference within the trust for those groups of people whose interests are not always sufficiently considered.”

Carmel Calvert Community Equality Panel

Equality Monitoring The use and value of equalities monitoring is often misunderstood and as such is often seen as being of low importance especially if historically any data collected has not been put to any use. Increasingly the trust recognises the positive impact that collecting and utilising equalities data can have and as such is developing a response to the current situation that has emerged after a review of what is currently collected and when and how it is used.

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Equalities data is central to understanding key elements of patient access and experience and also the diverse profile of our workforce.

• Aggregate analysis allows combining information for people with the same protected characteristics can help to identify patterns in prevalence, access, experience and outcomes for different groups of the population (patient access) • To directly improve individual care at the point of service delivery: capturing information on an individual’s needs or values can assist directly when assessing a person’s requirements for care and support (patient experience)

Background Wirral Community NHS Trust currently uses a multitude of clinical IT systems to capture its clinical activity.

These systems include 4 principal Patient Administration Systems (PAS) along with a number of bespoke service specific systems.

Main PAS Systems: • SystmOne – Nursing Services, Health Visiting & Lifestyles Services • EMIS Web – Therapy Services & GP Practices • Cerner Millennium – Heart Support Services • Adastra – Walk in Centres, Integrated Sexual Health, DVT & GP Out of Hours Bespoke Service Specific Systems: • BEST – Wheelchair Service • Msoft – Community Equipment Store • SOEL – Community Dental System Over the past 18 months WCT’s Information Team has begun implementing a data warehouse solution, the purpose of which is to collate, in one secure place, data extracts from all the trust’s core systems. This solution offers efficiencies in the production of datasets, key reports and KPIs. Ultimately the Data Warehouse will also enable data from each of the systems above to be standardised and “joined-up” to offer a consolidated patient master index (PMI) the real world benefits of which will be to improve data quality across each system and highlight where individual patients have multiple interactions with our different services. For example monitoring where a patients has used GP OOHs and Walk-in-Centres whilst also being on the caseload of District Nursing or Therapy services.

In terms of monitoring the trust’s Equality & Diversity duties there remains considerable technical work to consolidate all the different data sources in order to reach a true picture of the patient base the trust serves, and particularly with the multitude of PAS systems to ensure there is no double counting of the same patient.

Current Actions: Through the mechanism of the Data Quality Improvement Group, the Information Team will highlight to all divisions the importance of capturing the key items detailed above where current system capabilities allows.

Training material to remind staff of the importance of capturing these data items will be developed and issued to all system users as well as utilising the weekly staff bulletin.

An action plan is being developed to detail the approach for protected characteristics currently not collected or standardised in the core clinical systems.

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Data Collection Patient We have produced a separate annual report on Patient Equalities Data which is available on the trust website.

Workforce We have produced a separate annual report on Workforce Equalities Data which is available on the trust website.

Equality Analysis (formerly described as Equality Impact Assessment) The trust has made substantial progress in embedding its new robust and consistent approach to undertaking Equality Analysis. To support the competent use of the new EQA toolkit staff who are involved in the process are being supported by EQA training and when necessary one to one support by the Equality Diversity & Human Rights Manager.

A process from beginning EQA to publication on the trust website has been agreed and also a review of any policy which needs a retrospective equality impact assessment using the new approach. As part of the Quality Contract reporting schedule to WCCG; the trust reports on any relevant service redesign (subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty).

All of the EQA we undertake will be published on our refreshed equality section on the trust website and will be found using the two click ease of access approach.

Equality Training Alongside the mandatory Equality & Diversity e-learning; the trust has reviewed its Equality & Diversity training and has promoted to managers and service leads that additional bespoke sessions of equalities training is available; including briefing sessions on the need for undertaking equalities monitoring, understanding needs of LGBT people and learning disabilities training amongst other topics.

Progress on our Equality Objectives Wirral Community NHS Trust has a legal duty to publish equality objectives by 2012 and at least every four years after that. We are also required to publish details of the engagement work we have done to develop our objectives and set out how we will measure our progress against them. The purpose of the equality objectives are to help us make a real difference to some of the most pressing issues facing the protected groups that we provide services for and any staff we employ. They will also help us demonstrate how we are meeting our statutory duties. The following 6 objectives have been created from the information gathered from members of the public as well as staff. In order to identify any gaps in services from the service users and staff members, an internal grading criteria in accordance to EDS guidelines, was formed and used across Wirral Community NHS Trust.

Last year we published our Equality Objectives which we compiled after listening to what you told us. Based upon our own equalities review we decided that the following 6 Equality Objectives would serve as being the starting point for addressing need for both patients and workforce.

1. review and improve patient feedback from the 9 protected groups

2. improve access to services for people with a learning disability

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3. improve patient experience by all protected groups

4. improve the experiences of staff who might be discriminated against

5. review the appraisal system to make sure it supports staff from the 9 protected groups

6. To include equality and diversity in appraisals to ensure objectives are being met *

*Revised to reflect changes in EDS2 We report progress on our Equality Objectives through the Equality & Diversity Group, to the Board and also to our Commissioners. Although our Equality Objectives have only been in place since last year we are we believe making steady progress with them and some have been implemented. Where we have implemented an objective we will be able to see how it has impacted upon the equalities agenda in relation to either patients or workforce.

Equality Objective 1 An Equalities Data Sub-Group led by the trust’s Business Intelligence Manager undertook to review equalities data. This review allowed for an understanding of the different issues facing the trust in regards capturing the protected characteristics of patients.

Currently an Action Plan is being developed to detail the approach for protected characteristic currently not collected or standardised in the core clinical systems. In addition staff are attending equality monitoring briefing sessions to assist them in understanding the importance of capturing this data and how to answer questions from patients or carers on why these questions are being asked.

Equality Objective 2 Significant progress has been made in regards to developing the equality objective as part of the Joint Health and Social Care Learning Disability Single Assessment Framework (LD SAF) chaired by WCCG. The trust has developed its own LD Action Plan which contains a gap analysis across the trust services and identified actions which progress is being made.

Submission of the LD SAF 2014-15 was made last August and progress is reported against the identified actions as part of the Quality Contract.

Equality Objective 3 The new robust approach to embedding Equality Analysis (EQA) across the trust has guided the conscious approach to removing and mitigating negative impact which will improve the patient experience across all protected characteristics. Extensive training has been in place since January 15 to support the use of the new EQA toolkit.

Production of an Interpretation & Translation Annual Report has assisted in understanding of usage of Translation and interpretation services (language and disability) against the expected requirements given local demographics / patient population. This is now being developed further to include a full review of interpretation and translation provision.

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Equality Objective 4 Currently a review of policies and training is being undertaken by Human Resources and Quality & Governance.

Some key actions: • Have a robust Dignity at Work process that has been fully equality impact assessed and any cases raised are analysed by 9 protected characteristics • Identify any divisions/ areas of concern by informal communications to ensure action can be taken at low level and addressed through awareness-raising

EO5 A review of the staff appraisal system is being undertaken by Human Resources

EO6 Equality and Diversity was introduced into the annual appraisal in 2014 and is now entering its second year of inclusion.

Each equality objective as it is actioned and completed will bring different benefits to both our patients and our workforce. We will use these objectives to continue building solid foundations in embedding the equalities agenda across the trust at every level.

Next Steps - How we will make progress in getting it right for everyone EDS2 Delivery Plan In 2013-14 the Trust adopted the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS) and utilised the EDS Framework to reflect the actions it was taking to address meeting the PSED. In 2013 the trust based on self-assessment graded itself against the EDS grading system and those grades were agreed by Healthwatch Wirral. In 2014 following a national review NHS England produced EDS2 and the Trust subsequently adopted the new framework.

An agreement had been reached with Healthwatch Wirral to reassess the grades towards the end of 2014.

Following discussions and based upon Healthwatch Wirral is recommendations we adopted a revised set of equality action plans which reflected the broader equality actions that the trust was progressing with.

The revised approach will be the collection and subsequent use of case studies to evidence progress against the EDS2 Goals. We are grateful for the support and guidance from Healthwatch Wirral in assisting us to develop this new approach.

The new Equality Action Plan/Assessment of Outcomes is framed and evidenced against NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS2) Framework and is reported to the Board on a quarterly basis.

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Getting it right for our patients Service Level Equality Actions - Across directorates and down through divisions

Learning from Experience The trust recognises by listening to both staff and patients that the values and principles underpin our work will be enhanced and will begin to address health inequalities for the communities we serve. The trust has developed a number of approaches to gathering information from patients, staff, stakeholders and the wider communities we serve. Alongside these initiatives it is the Trust’s intention to use Community Equality Panel members to gain further understanding of patient experience.

The role of the Community Equality Panel will give us invaluable support in understanding and identifying barriers that certain groups face when accessing health services.

New Patient Engagement group A group of trust members and trust staff have been recruited to form a patient engagement group.

A welcome and introduction session has commenced, meeting dates for the coming year have been set.

See WCT Patient Experience Annual Report 2014/2015.

Making Things Happen It is important that the trust has real understanding of how patients are experiencing and accessing the services that the trust delivers across the communities it serves. A key component to increase this level of awareness and understanding is for each part of the trust’s services to review and identify any barriers across the nine protected characteristics groups. To enable the trust to gather information across the services the development of a Service Level Equality Action template in 2013-14 has been produced to enable gaps to be identified and actions to be developed.

This template serves a dual purpose of not only identifying gaps but also to allow for monitoring of performance against the general duties. Each service is required to use the template which is based upon EDS2 and examine how it currently meets need across the nine protected characteristics groups. This new tool-kit has enabled key barriers to be addressed particularly around communication.

Case Studies Communications and Marketing The Communications and Marketing Team has undertaken training from Mencap in producing assessable materials for people with learning disabilities. Easy Read is a way of presenting cut-down information in plain English, with helpful illustrations. It’s designed for people with learning difficulties or those who struggle to read, but is also useful for communicating with elderly people and those who don’t use English as their first language.

The team is now proficient at producing Easy Read materials in-house, and has already developed Easy Read versions of the trust’s Protecting Privacy Leaflet, numerous service leaflets and patient information leaflets.

Providing information in an accessible format improves the patient experience and supports the trust in meeting its Equality and Diversity objectives.

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Speech and language service Speech and language services has devised and trialled 2 different patient feedback forms; the first for children under the age of 10 years and the second for young people and adults. The forms are very simple and quick to complete and ask the basic questions “did you have fun today?” (for the child form) and “Did you find this session useful?” (for the young person and adult form). There is also a section for additional comments written or pictures.

Our Paediatric team have trialled the form in community clinics and mainstream primary schools. We have had some very positive responses and some wonderful pictures have been drawn. The main message that we have received from children is that they are having fun and that they enjoy playing games and talking to each other.

This feedback has been lovely to receive and very uplifting for our therapists to read.

The forms have allowed people with communication difficulties to express their opinion of the service and their experiences. The adult team has trialled the forms in community clinics, home visits and with the nursing home service. The feedback from our initial pilot has been positive and the service will to continue their use.

Patient appointment letters At a patient shadowing event a patient described that the trust’s appointment letters were in different styles and formats across different services making them more difficult to follow as they were too complex and didn’t contain the day of the week. The trust developed a simple standard letter template and gained patient feedback from patients and services. A trust standard template is now available and services are using the letter template to develop their patient appointment letters. They are now much simpler in style and contain the day of the week.

Getting it right for our workforce Employer of choice By creating a working environment where all employees feel included, valued and rewarded on the basis of their talent and skills, the trust will increase staff morale. Despite significant service changes taking place the 2014 Staff Survey results showed that the trust response rate was higher for staff engagement scores than the NHS community trust average. The trust scored highest for staff having an appraisal in the last 12 months which shows the continued importance of feeding back to our staff on their performance, providing an opportunity for support and discussing training and development on a yearly basis.

We retained our place within the HSJ Top 100 NHS places to work which has a positive impact on motivation levels within the workforce, leading to improved trust performance and becoming an Employer of Choice.

Attract the best talent It is essential to recruit and retain people, not only with the right skills, but also the flexibility to change and improve as the needs of the trust change. The trust has forged strong links with key local stakeholders such as voluntary and statutory organisations, schools and colleges and community groups to promote opportunities in the organisation.

Our work experience programme gives year 12 and 13 students the chance to spend a week working in one of many services across the trust. We advertise placements through local sixth forms, and to all of our young members of that age by email. Interested students fill out an application form and services select the student they think will benefit most from the placement, which takes place in June or July. Our approach has informed the development of the new national NHS England guidance for work placements.

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As well as the placements for year 12 and 13 students, Wirral Community NHS Trust provides hundreds of placements every year for pre and post-registration health care students. These are organised as part of the students’ training programmes.

Whilst work placements open horizons, volunteering can act as a gateway to employment. The trust’s volunteer programme supports teams to develop volunteer placements that will enhance the services they can provide for patients whilst allowing volunteers to make a meaningful contribution and build their own skills and experience. The trust supports about 80 placements within our own services and allied charities.

Eliminate Bullying and Harassment The trust recognises that all employees have a right to work in an environment in which the dignity of individuals is respected and which is free from harassment and bullying behaviour. The existence of such behaviour creates a threatening or intimidating work environment which adversely affects job performance, health and well-being. We manage bullying and harassment through our Dignity at Work policy and procedure.

It follows best employment practice and guidance from both NHS Employers and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

How we advance equality of opportunity The trust acknowledges that the health and wellbeing of our workforce is vital, and our objective is to promote and ensure that we provide support and opportunities for staff to keep themselves healthy and safe. We recognise that a strategic approach is required to help our staff build and improve their mental and physical wellbeing. Working in partnership ensures that integrated prevention and promotion strategies are developed that are responsive to staff concerns and will enable staff to meet their duty under the NHS Constitution.

Reasonable Adjustments The trust is responsive to individual’s needs, both with the application of adjustments and good management of staff in supporting them appropriately and effectively. We recognise that some disabilities are not easily or openly discussed and must be treated with respect and dignity at all times. The trust has an Equality Champions Network and Staff Support Networks that provides support and guidance on promoting equality of opportunity in employment and its services.

Sometimes it can be difficult to balance the needs of work with the pressure of home life. Help is sometimes needed to deal with the challenges that you may face in life, both practical and emotional.

One example of how the trust wishes to support employees is through the provision of PAM Assist which is a free confidential advice and support service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be used it is many times as the employee wants. It can be accessed by staff and their families. Face to face counselling is also available but is only open to Wirral Community Trust employees. All communication with PAM Assist is completely confidential between PAM Assist and the employee. The type of subjects include Stress management managing money, personal life, retirement making, healthy choices, having a family, coping with illness, personal crisis, debt advice, work life.

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How we eliminate unlawful discrimination As a trust, we have a diverse range of engagement strategies to ensure that staff and patients have an opportunity be involved in the decisions that affect them. Equality and Diversity must be seen in all sectors of the trust as an opportunity for creativity and innovation, this will require on-going efforts to ensure clear and consistent messages are communicated and expert advice and support are afforded at all levels across the trust.

How we foster good relations To raise awareness of the difficulties and challenges that some people in society face the trust has developed an on-going series of Equality events that have covered many varying and different topics covering themes that potentially can and do affect people either who are patients and or members of the workforce.

“I think I could write a lot on why the LGBT Network is important to me.

The reason, if I need one, just keeps getting bigger. The more people I meet and the more issues and problems I hear about the more important the LBGT Network gets.

In 2008 my son told me “I don’t like girls”, immediately followed by “Do you think you can still love me”? I asked him what had changed about him in the last 10 seconds that could possibly mean I no longer loved him.

I have been on a journey since then, learnt a lot, met some wonderful people and have come across what is probably only a fraction of the difficulties faced by LGBT people. The Network itself has also raised issues that I had never thought of.

So, what can the mother of a gay young man do to try and remove some of these difficulties? One answer is to educate. I think a good start would be to give NHS staff the opportunity to understand and be aware of the difficulties often faced by LGBT people.

Perhaps in the near future, the trust would consider working towards achieving the Navajo Charter Mark”.

Anon - Member of WCT LGBT Staff Support Network

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Memories of some the equality events that took place across 2014 & 2015

Jo Harvey (left), Director of HR & Operational Development welcomes Jane Kennedy, Merseyside Police Crime Commissioner and Andrew Bollard, CEO Stop Hate UK to the event on raising awareness of Hate Crime and how staff can support the reporting of this type of behaviour and help victims.

Andrew Bollard explains how NHS staff can support and raise awreness of reporting any type of Hate Crime.

Sandra Christie (left), Director of Nursing & Performance welcomes Michelle Cox, NHS England to the event to understand the challenges facing our BME colleagues in the workplace.

The cast of Lipstick Divas after performing their highly entertaining play ‘Never Truly Safe’ as part of the LGBT History series of events.

The celebration of International Women’s Day 2015 with our guest speaker Clare Campbell CEO, Big Love Sister.

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Strengthening Equality & Diversity Governance Arrangements Creating a culture that supports and understands equality and diversity is the responsibility of everyone at the trust. Our aim is to ensure that everyone can use our services and that we have a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. We take our legal responsibility seriously and want staff and patients to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect at all times. Equality and Diversity in the trust is led by the Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development. A Non-Executive Director with a special interest in this area is closely involved in Trust monitoring and progress.

Equality issues have been reported to the Trust Board and Senior Management Team on a regular basis.

In 2013 the trust established an ‘Equality & Diversity Task Group’, commissioned by and accountable to the Trust’s Board. This Group is chaired by the Director of Organisational Development and includes representation from across the trust services. In 2014 the Equality & Diversity Group became a permanent group which ensures that communication across the Trust is maintained.

In 2013-14 the trust also allocated resources to create a post of Equality Manager to further support staff in meeting their duties. By allocating resources to this dedicated post the trust has recognised the need for staff to have clear and transparent systems in place to allow them to identify potential gaps and barriers for individuals who may share one or more of the protected characteristics.

The processes that the trust has now put in place will ensure that a clear transparent approach to meeting the General Duty of the Equality Act is maintained and that through robust channels of communication barriers can be identified and that the Trust can implement change or raise concerns to our Commissioners.

Emerging Issues and priorities for 2015 From April 2015, two new standards have been introduced across the NHS and the trust has already begun to consider the challenges and also the opportunities that the development of both across the trust will bring for both our patients and our workforce.

• Implementation of the Accessible Information Standard • Implementation of the Workplace Race Equality Standard The trust will develop an action plan to support the implementation of both standards after undertaking a review of its current position.

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Knowing our communities- Reflecting our diverse communities Expanding our equality and diversity training programme An equalities training matrix was developed in 2014 which highlights the additional types of equalities training needed by staff. In 2013-14 we identified four key areas of equalities training in addition to our on-line Equality & Diversity e-learning.

1. Equality Analysis 2. Equalities & Procurement 3. Equalities Monitoring 4. Bespoke equalities training e.g. understanding needs of people with a Learning Disability, barriers faced

by LGBT people During 2014-15 significant progress has been made in engaging staff with undertaking the additional types of non-mandatory equalities training that has been made available. Regular sessions of equalities analysis training has been offered every two weeks since January 15 and so far 36 members of staff and the HR and Communications Teams have attended. Equalities monitoring briefing sessions have also been made available since January; Community Nutrition & Dietetic Service, Speech and Language Therapy Department, Wheelchair Services (Wirral and West Cheshire) are among the teams taking part.

Other key equalities training accessed has been; in-house dental staff training on how to manage patients with Learning Disabilities, annual bespoke continuing professional programme in place for clinical staff on effective ways to support, treat, care and communicate with patients who have a learning disability commissioned from Chester University.

Understanding barriers and identifying equality actions In order to further mainstream equality work within the trust, equality outcomes need to be considered at a divisional, as well as an organisational level. For this to be effective, further enhancements in data collection and utilisation are required. The use of the Service Level Equality Actions template will support this mainstream approach. A divisional equality dashboard will be developed for use from 2014-15 onwards.

Examples of change made to improve the quality of our provision Patient Access The Wirral Heart Support team aim to provide cardiovascular rehabilitation and Wirral Intermediate Cardiac Clinic and Community Heart Failure services to all people on the Wirral. Some people require more support including those with learning disabilities. Team members will adapt our programmes and appointments as far as is practicably reasonable for people with learning disability to access our services safely.

Patient Experience Livewell have begun tailoring their service to clients with learning disability: The materials are a lot simpler, have lots of images and messages are conveyed in a very simplistic/non confusing/threatening way. Additional tools are also available for parents and carers of those with learning disabilities.

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Benchmarking & Partnership working The use of EDS2 will also facilitate a partnership approach to public and patient engagement and consultation activity with other local NHS trusts, widening engagement opportunities whilst ensuring that protected groups are not inundated with requests for consultation by a myriad of individual public sector organisations. The trust is a member of the Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington, NHS Providers & Healthwatch Equality Forum/Network, Wirral Joint Health and Social Care Self-Assessment Framework meeting group.

Lasting Change Improving patient care is the over-riding concern for the trust and the focus of our evidence based approach to meeting our equality duties; which we believe will assist us in achieving improvements for all our patients.

This approach will ensure that we are meeting the needs of staff and are supporting them to have a positive employment experience.

We believe that our actions will support the ‘The Forward View’, published in 2014 by NHS England which outlined how NHS services must change to move towards the care models required for the future. England, it argued, is too diverse for ‘one size fits all’ solutions.

By understanding the diversity of the communities we serve and the potential barriers and challenges they face, we can deliver services that meet need and avoid the consequences of providing care that fails to provide appropriate models of care.

There are many key component parts to our equalities evidence and the annual report aims to give a reflection of the progress of the key actions contained within our Equality Strategy.

What it cannot capture is the enthusiasm in which our workforce has embraced the equalities agenda.

Understanding and identifying the gaps has been critical in establishing our base-line position.

The trust acknowledges the invaluable support of staff, patients, stakeholders and the wider communities for the contribution to moving the trust’s equalities agenda forward.

We believe that this evidence based approach will support the trust in making progress and provides a foundation to achieve positive impact and therefore improvements in how patients experience our services and support staff to have a positive employment experience. This will assist us in learning how to and therefore make sure that we continue in, ‘Getting it right for everyone’.

Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Annual Report 2014/15

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