Equality and human rights

We are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights as a provider of health services and as an employer.

Building a Fairer Oxleas

Building A Fairer Oxleas (BAFO) is a programme of work involving frontline staff, senior managers and Board members in making positive changes to how it feels to work at Oxleas.

We are focusing on making recruitment and career progression fairer and improving cultural understanding.

The journey began in the summer of 2020 in response to feedback from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff about their experiences, the disproportionate impact of COVID on BAME communities and the impact of the killing of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

We have a long way to go but we are committed to making changes that have a positive impact for all staff, but in particular BAME staff, disabled staff and LGBT+ staff.  

This in turn will benefit our patients, service users and their families.

 

Equality and Human Rights

Our Equality and Human Rights Strategy Framework 2020-25 sets out the action we will take to positively impact on the experience of our staff, our service users and our communities and to help us become a more inclusive organisation.

The overarching aims are:

  • Removing barriers to people using our services
  • Delivering person centred care and support
  • Making Oxleas the best place to work
  • Improving our culture
  • Responding to new equality and human rights legislation and mandatory standards.

These are underpinned by a set of objectives, which are linked to an annual action plan.

For more information, contact the Equality and Human Rights team via our Building a Fairer Oxleas email: oxl-tr.bafo@nhs.net

View our latest Gender Pay Gap Report here: Reports, publications and performance | Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust (Staging) (verseonecloud.com)

Equality Delivery System (EDS)

The Equality Delivery System (EDS) has been designed by the Department of Health to support NHS trusts in meeting the requirements of the Equality Act (2010). It supports NHS organisations to understand how equality can drive improvements and strengthen the accountability of services to patients and the public.

In essence, the EDS is an equality benchmarking tool, which assesses trusts against key outcomes in workforce and service delivery. 

For more information about what we are doing please see our EDS report.

Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)

The Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) sets out a series of metrics drawn from workforce data and the staff survey, comparing White and BME staff in areas such as:

  • Disciplinary
  • Access to continuing professional development
  • Representation on the Board

Trusts are expected to make year on year progress against the metrics.

Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES)

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) sets out a series of metrics drawn from workforce data and the staff survey, comparing Disabled and Non-Disabled staff in areas such as:

  • Entering the Capability Process
  • Access to continuing professional development
  • Representation on the Board.

Trusts are expected to make year on year progress against the metrics.

Disciplinary Policy and Procedure

Our disciplinary procedures are reviewed annually to ensure all disciplinary and investigative processes were fair, empathetic, proportionate and efficient. These procedures are also formally discussed at our board meetings, to which members of the public have access, and our policies are available on our website.

You can view our revised Disciplinary Policy and Procedure document here:

Safeguarding

We are committed to ensuring that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk and children is embedded across every directorate and in every aspect of the trust’s work.

If you are concerned about a child or an adult, visit our safeguarding page.

NHS Constitution

The NHS Constitution sets out the principles and values that guide how the NHS should act and make decisions. It also explains the rights and responsibilities of staff, patients and the public, and the NHS’s pledges to them.

All NHS organisations and other bodies supplying NHS services must have regard to the NHS Constitution, and the Constitution itself must be renewed by the Government every 10 years.

we’re kind we’re fair we listen we care

We are kind, we are fair, we listen