Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) is proud to make the shortlist for the NHS Workplace Race Equality Award, as part of the annual Health Service Journal (HSJ) 2020 Awards – the most esteemed accolade of healthcare service excellence in the UK.

This award recognises initiatives which promote race equality and inclusion within the workplace, and improve the experience of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff. A wide variety of ideas have been employed at LPT to help drive the race equality and inclusion agenda forward, including:

  • A public anti-racism campaign and statement of personal commitment from Angela Hillery, chief executive.
  • A reverse mentoring programme where senior staff work to understand the lived experience of BAME staff to help identify weakness in progression and discriminatory practice.
  • Cultural intelligence action learning sets with BAME staff sharing their lived experiences for group reflection.
  • Mandating diverse representation on interview panels to encourage BAME staff to apply for more senior roles.
  • Driving education and training (for both BAME and white staff) and supporting BAME staff on their career path.
  • Regular listening events with our BAME staff to co-design an action plan to address issues, including collaboration to produce a risk assessment for our BAME staff to remain safe through Covid-19.

Haseeb Ahmad, head of equality, diversity and inclusion said: “I am so pleased that all the hard effort which has been carried out on our race equality agenda over the last 18 months has been recognised in such a prestigious award. It is particularly important for LPT colleagues who have put their energies in to improving the culture of the Trust so that it is a place where everyone feels they belong no matter what their background, ethnicity or nationality.”

Sarah Willis, director of human resources and organisational development said: ‘I am delighted that we have been shortlisted as a finalist for this important strategic programme of work which is one of our nine Trust priorities. We still have a long way to go but we know the work we’ve done has been really welcomed by our BAME staff.”

A second project involving LPT has also been shortlisted for the HSJ awards. The Trust along with Newton Europe, The Phoenix Partnership, and Leicestershire Health Informatics Service is in contention for the Partnership of the Year award. This follows joint work to introduced a computer-based tool in the community nursing service, which has helped staff plan visits, reduce travel time and increase time with their patients.

The winner of both awards will be announced at a special ceremony on 17 March 2021.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

  • Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) provides community health, mental health and learning disabilities services for the one million people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We have a budget in excess of £275 million and employ approximately 5,500 staff. For more information visit: leicspart.nhs.uk. Our registered charity is called Raising Health (charity number 1057361). The charity fundraises to support excellent care initiatives, equipment and innovations which go above and beyond core NHS provision to enhance the experience of our patients, service users and staff. See www.raisinghealth.org.uk

For further information contact: Kartik Bhalla, eCommunications Officer,  Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Tel: 0116 295 0994, Email: Kartik.Bhalla@leicspart.nhs.uk