In Black History Month[i] Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KGH), part of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) NHS Group is demonstrating its commitment to diversity and inclusion with a month of activities designed to recognise the contribution and achievements of staff with African or Caribbean heritage.
This year’s Black History Month (BHM) launched with the theme “Time for Change: Action Not Words[ii]” and the commitment to not only learn from the past but to improve the future, through action, not words. KGH is showing its support by sharing poignant role model stories, videos and resources on their intranet and social media platforms and hosting a celebration dinner on 28th October for overseas staff.
During the month they will also be sharing videos from the co-chairs of the REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) staff networks on the importance of BHM and diversity, along with personal reflections videos from Andy Callow (Acting Group CEO), Debbie Needham (KGH CEO) and Heidi Smoult (NGH CEO).
The month culminates in the celebration dinner where traditional food from Western and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia will be served by BAME caterers and culturally rich and diverse music will be played by local BAME DJ – DJ Slamma. BAME speakers will share their career journey and challenges on the night, and there will be a closing speech from Andy Callow.
Carol Verner, Interim Head of Equality Diversity & Inclusion at KGH, said: “KGH and the wider Group are committed to ensuring we create an inclusive environment for everyone that works here. Black History Month is a great opportunity for us to learn from one another and promote a better understanding of some of the issues and challenges people face.
“We have a month of content to share that raises the voices of our colleagues and highlights their contribution to the Group and the NHS as a whole. By showcasing some truly inspirational people within our workforce we hope to break down barriers and encourage people to learn from each other, whatever their race or background.”
This year’s Black History Month’s activities are part of a wider goal to drive positive change through actions that support equality, diversity, and inclusion and promote a safe and confidential environment to raise any issues and concerns. One of the major things the hospital has done in recent years is to set up a number of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Networks that are open to all staff.
All the networks are supported by the leadership team and sponsored by the board. REACH is the largest EDI network, with around 400 members but there is also a Disability and Wellbeing network; an LGBTQ+ network; a network for overseas medical professional and a gender equality network. All offer a safe space for people to talk freely and receive support.
KGH also trains staff to understand what acceptable behaviour is. One training initiative is called ‘Building Cultural Bridges’, which focuses on talking about uncomfortable issues and unconscious bias. They have also introduced inclusive recruitment champions, who are trained to spot unconscious bias and help managers make more informed decisions.
Earlier this year KGH were awarded the Disability Confident Leader status, part of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme[iii], another milestone that highlights the organisation’s ongoing commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds to thrive.
Kettering General Hospital is part of the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ recruitment campaign. The campaign brings together the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital (KGH), St Andrew’s Healthcare and Northants GP and aims to recruit nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals to live and work in Northamptonshire.