Inclusion and Belonging Lead

Job description

Job responsibilities

Strategic Inclusion and Belonging (I&B) Leadership - cont:

5. To be responsible for Trust-wide policy development relating specifically to I&B and Equality and Human Rights issues.

6. To lead, promote and maintain a culture of inclusion, where I&B best practice is mainstreamed into all Trust plans and policies, decision-making and day-to-day activities.

7. To develop and maintain key partnerships across the Trust and Integrated Care System (ICS), including People & OD Business Partners; staff side colleagues; Inclusion Leads, Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and Champions; Inclusion Council members; Trust Board, Directorate and service leadership, and staff network leads, to develop greater understanding of key I&B business challenges, support the development of improvement actions, and facilitate and promote greater engagement with the I&B agenda.

8. To develop and maintain effective partnerships with key external stakeholders, including local communities and under-served groups, in order to understand and meet the needs of patients, service users, carers, visitors and applicants from diverse backgrounds.

9. To be responsible for monitoring any annual I&B-related budget available for use for I&B promotions, work programmes, and staff networks as applicable.

10. To lead on the development, delivery and communication of specialist training, education and development for leaders and staff in often complex I&B and equality and human rights issues (including regular communications using a range of Trust media, giving presentations, and developing and delivering education courses, including developing e-learning), in order to promote excellent practice and to support the mainstreaming of I&B and the protection of human rights in the Trusts day-to-day activities.

11. To audit and analyse workforce and community data to inform the development of improvement plans for patient services and the workforce, as well as the Trusts reporting requirements.

12. To evaluate interventions to ensure that they are meeting strategic plans and promoting statutory and legal compliance; advising Trust leaders and committees as appropriate.

Leadership

1. To provide leadership and direction for the Inclusion and Belonging project leads, Staff Network Leads, OD & Inclusion Team Administration, and OD Talent Bank as appropriate/applicable.

2. To act as a role model for Trust Values and Trust Leadership Behaviours Framework and collaborate with People Directorate colleagues to ensure an effective and positive working environment for the wider team.

3. To develop effective networks and represent the Trust across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, in order to deliver effective and efficient working practices within the Trust and across the ICS and wider health and care.

4. To actively engage in personal and professional development to ensure that latest thinking and outstanding practice is integrated into all activities.

5. Any other duties as may be required from time-to-time and which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

Specialist and technical requirements

1. To ensure progress and delivery to timescale of the annual / periodic legislative and NHS equality, Inclusion and Belonging requirements, including (but not exclusive to):-

o I&B Annual Report and associated data

o Public Sector Equality Duty and associated Equality Objectives

o Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)

o Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES)

o Equality Delivery System (EDS)

o Accessible Information Standard (AIS)

o Gender Pay and Ethnicity Pay Reporting (Disability Pay Gap reporting in 25-26; other pay gap reporting eg LGB+ may be introduced)

o Lead / co-lead / provide support as appropriate on emerging / new equality-related projects and requirements as these emerge, eg Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework; NHS Sexual Safety Charter and Worker Protection Act 2023 (from 2024); introduction of revised gender identity recording in Electronic Patient System from 2025; introduction of Service User Reasonable Adjustments Flags in EPS from 2025, etc.

o Advice and guidance on application and development of interpretation and translation services

o Lead Policy Development (not exhaustive) of Trust Inclusion at Work Policy, Trans Inclusion Policy

2. To lead coordination and development of the Trust Inclusion Council meetings (held usually bi-monthly).

3. Deliver on Trust, ICS, regional/ national NHS monthly / bi-monthly / quarterly reporting requirements on Inclusion and Belonging related matters as required, including team performance/progress monitoring, Trust People, Culture and Development Committee (PCDC) updates, ICS People, Culture and Inclusion Committee (PCI); WRES and WDES; EDS; NHS EDI Improvement Plan / Six High Impact Actions (regional Self Assessment Tool), ad hoc Freedom of Information (FOI) Act equality-related requests; Trust Board Assurance Framework (BAF) and Risk Register (equality related items)

4. Provide leadership (lead / support / oversee as appropriate) in relation to a range of Inclusion-related projects, such as RACE Equality Code, Rainbow Badge, Disability Confident, Veteran Aware, positive action projects, AccessAble, Web Accessibility, etc. Contribute to wider Trust projects where inclusion advice and expertise is required, eg Violence and Aggression Reduction Group, Restrictive Practices Group, etc

5. Deliver programme of communication, education and engagement in relation to key inclusion themed weeks/months/days eg Black History Month, South Asian Heritage Month, LGBT+ History Month, Disability History Month

6. To work in partnership with or deputise for the ICS Inclusion and Belonging Lead, nominated ICS Executive lead for Inclusion, and ICS Associate Director Lead for OD and Inclusion as required and to act as a leading member of the ICS Inclusion and OD collaborative working structure.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Highly specialist Inclusion and Belonging, knowledge acquired through degree & professional HR / OD qualification or equivalent qualification (or demonstrated through significant equivalent and relevant experience
• Plus additional HR/OD training or equivalent experience to masters level or equivalent

Desirable

• Qualification in equality and diversity at Level 4/above e.g. ILM or CMI

Experience

Essential

• Experience of developing corporate strategies, policies and guidance for managers/staff to improve people and equality outcomes
• Experience in implementing service improvement initiatives in/with a complex organisation
• Report writing experience of providing key information in a clear, succinct, impactful and effective manner

Desirable

• Experience of working with equality performance frameworks (e.g. NHS EDS or equivalent in other sectors eg Equality Framework for Local Government)

Skills

Essential

• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills (professional credibility/ empathy/tact and diplomacy/ sensitivity/ overcoming barriers to understanding)
• A thorough understanding of the Equality Act 2010 and its Code of Practice and associated / emerging equality-related leglislation

Desirable

• Coaching and consultancy skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

Address

Lawton House

Bellringer Road, Trentham

Stoke-on-Trent

ST4 8HH

Employer's website

https://www.combined.nhs.uk/working-together/join-our-team/ (Opens in a new tab)