Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s initiative ‘Your Future Your Way’ has been awarded a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) North West Award for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The award was presented at the Black History Month conference yesterday (17 October) at Limelight Old Trafford. It recognises individuals or teams who have made an outstanding contribution to the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda and the experience of service users and/or staff from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Warrington and Halton Hospitals’ initiative has helped colleagues from an ethnic minority background working as nurses, midwives and in the allied health professions (AHPs), such as physiotherapy, radiology, and occupational therapy, to develop skills to reach equity and career progression. It was created to support colleagues to take the next steps into leadership and management at the Trust.
Patients at Warrington and Halton’s hospitals have also benefited as staff participating in the programme have undertaken projects to improve patient safety and care. Examples include strategies for preventing falls in elderly inpatients, reducing pressure ulcers, improving fluid intake among inpatients, and understanding barriers that prevent attendances at paediatric ophthalmology appointments.
Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, Chief Nurse, and Deputy Chief Executive, who has overseen the delivery of this bespoke leadership programme said: “We are delighted to receive this award for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion for our ‘Your Future Your Way’ programme.
“To be recognised by the Royal College of Nursing for our journey as a Trust to reach equity whilst providing opportunities to further enhance the experience of our patients is an honour.
“The programme aimed to build an understanding of the barriers that nurses, midwives and allied health profession colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds may face during their career. It supported them in developing skills that enhance their own careers and promote wider equity across the workforce. It has also been valuable in providing our senior leaders with the resources to be more culturally aware and accountable in supporting our diverse workforce to progress.”
