Equality and diversity
We promise the people of Croydon we will do our best to ensure you feel cared for by helpful and welcoming staff who respect you as an individual.
We aim to be considered as an employer of choice and a number of initiatives are in place to support this. We want to provide a work environment which allows people to feel comfortable irrespective of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.
Equality remains at the centre of all Trust policy making, service delivery and employment practice with all employees being given equality of opportunity to develop, apply for promotion and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.
The Trust actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. The Trust also closely monitors recruitment activity, training and development and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, religion and belief, race/ethnicity, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity - in line with protected characteristics listed the Equality Act 2010.
The rich diversity of the Trust’s workforce reflects the diversity of the local population of Croydon and enables a greater understanding and respect for individuals, cultures and diverse health needs.
We work with various local and voluntary organisations such as Croydon Disability Forum, Status Employment, Business Disability Forum (BDF), Employers Network of Equality and Inclusion (ENEI) and Croydon BME Forum to promote quality patient care, equality and inclusion.
You can view our latest Equality Reports here:
CHS Annual Equality Report 2020-21
CHS Annual EDI Workforce Profile 2020-21
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust is committed to developing and delivering our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2021-2024 to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and requirements set out by NHS England. This Strategy sets out our priorities for delivering the equality and inclusion agenda over the next few years. We will embed the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the services we provide, our key strategies and policies and in our employment practices.
Our aim is to ensure that the diverse needs of our patients, communities, service users and staff are met and that we improve their experience when using our services. We are committed to working with our partners and stakeholders to tackle health inequality in Croydon and ensure that our staff have a positive experience and view CHS as an attractive place to work.
This EDI Strategy will help provide an environment for patients in which:
- There is equality of access and where patients are enabled to achieve full recovery in an environment where their dignity, individuality and preferences are respected and their needs met.
- Staff prioritise competing requirements according to medical, physical and psychological needs of the individual patient without discrimination. We welcome diversity in all forms.
- We provide a framework for managers and staff to ensure that current and potential employees are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their protected characteristics defined by; age, sex, sexual orientation, religion and belief, race/ethnicity, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.
- This Strategy will bring together all the policies and guidance that the Trust has developed over the years to provide for the needs of a range of equality groups, arising from a change in legislation. Our ultimate aim is the commitment to the needs of patients, carers, service users and staff to provide high quality inclusive health services.
Workforce Race Equality Standard
"The "business case" for race equality in the NHS, and for the Standard, is now a powerful one. NHS England, with its partners, is committed to tackling race discrimination and creating an NHS where the talents of all staff are valued and developed - not least for the sake of our patients."
Simon Stevens CEO NHS England.
Documents:
CHS Annual Equality Report 2020-21.
CHS Annual EDI Workforce Profile 2020-21
CHS Workforce Race Equality Standard WRES Report
Technical Guidance for the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard WRES
Respect @Work
Our first priority is the patients and people of Croydon. We have a shared vision and commitment to them that we will be “Here for you”.
Being ‘here’ for our patients and the people we support means we also need to be ‘here for staff’, supporting them to our promise to show respect for individuals, different cultures and patients’ privacy and dignity.
We recognise the importance of offering support to our staff who are experiencing or may have witnessed harassment and bullying.
We acknowledge that individuals may find it helpful to speak to someone informally, in confidence and seek advice on what course of action to follow.
Respect@work advisors
The role of the Respect@Work Advisor was introduced as a result of feedback from staff through the national Staff Survey and to support the delivery of our promises to the people of Croydon.
They are a first point of contact for those of their colleagues who feel that they have been subject to bullying or harassment. They help colleagues to talk through their problems and provide support, guidance detailed information on the options available to them in line with Trust policies and procedures.