Staff networks
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS FT is committed to positively shaping its culture and behaviours to be fair, diverse and inclusive. A key way of achieving this is through our staff network groups, who offer support and guidance for staff, a chance to network with like-minded colleagues and increase equality issues through allyship. The executive team also provides directives and look to the groups to support the aims of the Trust, as well as the groups feeding into the executive team where support may be needed to facilitate change.
Everyone is welcome
Staff across DCHS are welcome to join any of the groups, whether you feel that you identify in one or more of the groups or just have an interest in supporting work in that area through being an ally. The groups individually meet regularly, looking into trends highlighted through the staff survey and other sources that may indicate areas for improvement for the Trust. They also look at policies where equality and diversity themes need considering.
Our current groups are:
- LGBT+ – Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans plus
- EmbRACE -Ethnic Minorites Broadening Racial Awareness and Cultural Exchange
- D<C – Disabilities and Long Term Conditions
- Armed Forces & Veterans
Join a staff network
The network advises, promotes and supports LGBT+ inclusivity across DCHS health & social care services, for its staff colleagues and patients who may identify as LGBT+ within the communities we serve.
We welcome new network members, whether you identify as LGBT+ or as an ally and welcome you to attend our meetings. To register interest in joining the network please access this form Register interest in supporting DCHS LGBT+ Network (office.com)
We are also happy to advise and support colleagues who may be require information and support around LGBT+ issues and we will do our best to assist.
Network Chair: Tracey Brailsford
Executive Sponsor: Jim Austin
Contact: DCHST.lgbt@nhs.net
Twitter @LGBT_DCHS
The EmbRACE Network seeks to make race equality part of DCHS custom and practice by:
- Raising awareness of workforce diversity
- Challenging discrimination and promoting positive change
- Providing group members with support and networking opportunities
- Improving the quality of service to BME communities by assisting DCHS in delivering better services to all
The group is for our black, asian and ethnic minority employees, and all DCHS colleagues with an interest in achieving race equality.
Network Chair: Christine Duffy
Executive Sponsor: Michelle Bateman
Contact: dchst.embrace@nhs.net
Find out more about the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff Network Group
Our Disability and Long Term Conditions Staff Network is for staff either living with a long term condition and or a disability who are interested in raising the equality agenda in DCHS by:
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commenting on policies - e.g. HR policies that may impact you
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attending trust equality meetings to give your perspective on the equality agenda
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attending wider trust meetings such as the staff forum to give your views on current issues
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providing mutual support to other members of the network.
Network Chair: Sam Pessoll
Executive Sponsor: Tracy Allen
Contact: DCHST.dltc@nhs.net
Managing your condition in the workplace
Are you struggling to manage your condition in the workplace? Do you need some advice about reasonable adjustments? Do you feel that your manager isn’t listening to you about how to manage your condition or disability at work?
If you need to talk to some one about this or any other concerns, please call Advice and Guidance on 01246 253077 option 1 or staff partnership on 01246 515714 or staff support service on 01246 515951 or OH on 01246 515696
Reasonable Adjustment Passport
The reasonable adjustment passport is a document that outlines your condition and or disability and the steps that your line manager has taken to help you fufil your role. It is available from the Advice and Guidance Team or from your line manager. You can call the Advice and Guidance Team on 01246 253 077 option 1 to discuss setting one up with them.
The main benefits are that you have a formal record of the adjustments that you need that you can retain if your line manager changes or if you change role in DCHS.
Share your story!
Would you be interested in sharing your story of working at DCHS with a long term condition or disability?
Here at the staff network, we are planning some features on different conditions and would be interested in finding out how staff with these conditions cope with working with them. In the coming months, we are planning to feature stammering, dyslexia, diabetes, autism and epilepsy.
If you have any one of these conditions or disabilities and would like to share your experience, please contact the advice and guidance team on dchst.adviceguidance@nhs.net
You can view our page for our Disability and Long-Term Conditions Staff Network Here.
- The Armed Forces and Veterans Network aims to support DCHS in the delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant Commitments
- The group is for any DCHS staff who might have a military connection, or who are simply interested in championing awareness of equality for veterans, Armed Forces personnel and their families, who might be disadvantaged when it comes to accessing healthcare.
- We believe that our network is a key way to achieve this, by offering support and guidance for staff, raising awareness of key issues, challenging inequality and networking with like-minded colleagues
- We have executive sponsorship, and feed back to the executive team if we feel that we need to facilitate change.
Network Chair: Christine Duffy
Executive Sponsor: Darren Tidmarsh
Find out more about the Armed Forces and Veterans staff network
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Forum (EDILF) is the Trusts’ governance committee.
Each group has a dedicated seat at this Forum and is able to contribute to the Forum’s aim of ensuring DCHS achieves its aspirations and fulfils its legal and other equalities-related obligations.
Achieving a better understanding of our workforce, and their needs, is a priority for the Trust; DCHS is continuing to take action to improve the collection of accurate employee information, including communicating to staff why we need it and what difference it will make to them.
The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) requires public organisations to publish their workforce equality & diversity data and to use the data to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
Reports
View more information about the Trust's workforce equality data analysis and reports
The following reports are available:
- Gender Pay Gap (GPG)
- Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)
- Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES)
- Annual Equality Report
This booklet has been produced with involvement from a whole range of public service organisations across Derbyshire – including DCHS - to celebrate and highlight our approach to inclusion in the workplace, talking to some role models.
This booklet followed the first LGBT+ role models conference hosted jointly between Derbyshire Constabulary, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, Derby University and Derbyshire LGBT+.
