Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Norfolk and Waveney ICS

As an NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We recognise the importance of having a diverse and engaged workforce and are committed to ensuring all our employees and workers have the opportunity to succeed. The ICB’s annual report notes we’re continuously working to enhance resources for our staff and communities across Norfolk and Waveney to support Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The ICB’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy supports this aim and the ICB’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives:

to increase cultural awareness and personal accountability
to empower and support staff networks and employee led groups to implement, educate and communicate EDI initiatives.
to upholding its public sector duty and compliance under the Equality Act 2010
to continue deliver the Equality Diversity and Inclusion improvement plans and delivering the six high impact targets and actions to address the widely known intersectional impacts on discrimination and bias and eliminate conditions and environments which bullying, harassment and physical harassment occurs.
to support our understanding of staff diversity we will continue to conduct the following equality, diversity and inclusion data monitoring, outcome and action planning Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), Workforce Disability Standard (WDES), Gender Pay Gap and the NHS Staff Survey.
we will continue to engage and listen to staff to further strengthen our engagement processes with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion.

This is underpinned by the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and NHS People Promise and established employment practices, policies and procedures to ensure that no colleague, or potential colleague, receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, race, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, religion or belief, age, trade union membership, disability, offending background, domestic circumstances, social and employment status, gender reassignment, political affiliation or any other personal characteristic. Ensuring our workforce is diverse and developing an inclusive culture ensures that we are best placed to deliver services to our diverse stakeholders and reflect the populations we serve. Enabling our staff to support and deliver the eight ambitions of the five year Joint Forward Plan across Norfolk and Waveney.

Diversity is viewed positively, we recognise that everyone is different and value the unique contribution that everyone’s experience, knowledge and skills can make. Equality and inclusion are stated objectives.  The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion is pursued through policies that ensure colleagues receive fair, equitable and consistent treatment and existing and potential colleagues are not subject to any form of discrimination.  Enabling colleagues to work in an environment where they can thrive.  The ICB’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy seeks to meet and exceed our responsibilities as a public-sector employer under the Equality Act 2010. The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy also complements the ICB’s Dignity and Respect at Work Policy.

The ICB’s values were co-created through a collaborative process with our staff. When the CCG became an ICB in July 2022 our values were reviewed, and it was agreed they still represented how we wanted to live our values through everything we do. Connected to; each other, the work we do, a common purpose, our partners across the system…..and always to our patients/public. At all times being respectful, inclusive and embracing new ways of working by being innovative and continually improving.

ICB's values of respectful, inclusive, and innovative, with related icons

The ICB is committed to supporting and engaging and listening to its employees and we wish to continue to strengthen our engagement processes to ensure diversity and inclusion is a key part of what we do by listening to individuals and groups and supporting and engaging with our staff network groups; the Staff Involvement Group and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group. The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Staff Group promote awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion across the ICB Teams channel and also raising awareness linking to the Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2024. The ICB also continues to implement the Schwartz Rounds across the ICB/ICS to support the narrative around empathy and compassionate care. The ICB continues to support the micro aggression portal to allow all staff the opportunity to log incidences of bullying and harassment informally and anonymously. The ICB also works closely with it’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and Champion.

Within the ICB we consider a wider range of characteristics and other vulnerable groups, such as carers and health inequalities associated with social deprivation.

We are pleased to support staff with ICB Health and Wellbeing Champions covering the following areas Mental Health, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Financial Health, Social Health and Physical Health. Our champions support our staff by caring and ensuring we look after all our staff, organising activities to support health and wellbeing in the workplace, seeking feedback, listening to staff’s ideas and suggestions, acting as a role model and promoting a healthy culture and promoting health campaigns through staff briefings, emails and meetings.

All staff across the ICB have access to the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion – Resource Hub on the Improving Lives Website which aims to share resources, information and encourage engagement, involvement and action in the wide range of events, networks and activities happening across Norfolk and Waveney ICB.

The ICB is currently working towards being an accredited Menopause Friendly Employer and the Sexual Safety Charter.

Related Links

Our ICB Team have the following characteristics
(Snapshot September 2024)

76% of workforce are female
24% of workforce are male
89% of workforce are white
9.6% of workforce is from a black or minority ethnic group other than white British
12% of our workforce aged 51-55 years
24 % of our workforce over 56 years

Local Facts

931, 943 total resident population (2023)
51% are female (census 2021)
49% are male (census 2021)
The largest 5 year age bracket was those males and females aged 55 to 59 (census 2021)
94.7 % of pop are white, 2.1 % are Asian, 0.9% Black, 1.6% are mixed ethnic group, 0.7% other ethnic group (census 2021)
95% of population with main language of English (census 2021)
4.2% of population have previously served in the UK regular armed forces (census 2021)

Public Sector Equality Duty
The Equality Acts 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is set out in section 149 of the Act. In summary, those subject to the general equality and inclusion duty must have due regard (consideration) to the three aims of the general equality duty:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
- Advance equality of opportunity between different groups.
- Foster good relations between different groups.
The Equality Act 2010 includes Specific Duties Regulations 2011 which require the ICB to publish annually on how it is meeting the PSED and, every 4 years, produce Equality Objectives.
Modern Day Slavery Act

The Modern Slavery Act came onto the statute in March 2015. The main thrust of the Act focuses on illegal activity in the UK; however, the legislation also looks at the potential for slavery down the supply chain outside of the UK. The Act has direct implications for businesses operating in any sector in the UK.

Businesses operating above the turnover threshold of £36 million are required to produce a ‘Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement,’ outlining what steps they have taken in their supply chain and own business to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place.

Who does the Act apply to?

a) A body corporate (wherever incorporated) which carries on a business, or part of a business, in any part of the United Kingdom, or

b) A partnership (wherever formed) which carries on a business, or part of a business in any part of the United Kingdom.

The aim of this measure is to encourage businesses to do the right thing and to drive transparency as companies’ statements are published, scrutinised and compared.
Equality Delivery System
The main purpose of the Equality Delivery System 2 (EDS2) is to help local NHS organisations, in discussion with local partners including local populations, review and improve their performance for people with characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. It is aligned to NHS England’s commitment to an inclusive NHS that is fair and accessible to all.

The four EDS2 goals are:

1. Better health outcomes for all

2. Improved patient access and experience

3. Empowered, engaged and included staff

4. Inclusive leadership at all levels

More information is available:
The Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 came into force on 1 October 2010. The Equality Act brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they make up an Act that provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

Due regard requires the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to give consideration in a way that is proportionate to the issue at hand, to the nine protected characteristics when carrying out day to day functions and activities as defined in law through the Brown Principles.

The Equality Act 2010 includes Specific Duties Regulations 2011 which require the ICB to publish annually on how it is meeting the PSED and, every 4 years, produce Equality Objectives.

The Equality Act (2010) focuses on nine protected groups or characteristics:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
Workplace Race Equality Standard (WRES)

ICBs should commit to the principles of the WRES and apply as much of it as possible to their own workforce

To produce action plans to close any gaps in workplace experience between white and black and ethnic minority (BME) staff.

To improve BME representation at senior and Board level of the organisation where the representation does not reflect the population it serves

In this way, ICBs can demonstrate good leadership, identify concerns within their workforces and set an example for their providers.

Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) Action Plan 2021/22
Workplace Disability Equality Standard (WDES)

More information coming soon...
Gender Pay Gap Report

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, employers with 250 or more employees are required to publish Gender Pay Gap calculations no later than 30 March each year.

NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB's Gender Pay Gap Report for March 2023 (completed in March 2024) is available here.
Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Equality Analysis

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are one tool for examining the main functions and policies of an organisation to see whether they have the potential to affect people differently. Their purpose is to identify and address existing or potential inequalities, resulting from policy and practice development. Ideally, EIAs should cover all the strands of diversity and will help NHS organisations get a better understanding of their functions and the way decisions are made, by:

considering the current situation deciding the aims and intended outcomes of a function or policy considering what evidence there is to support the decision and identifying any gaps ensuring it is an informed decision What is equality analysis?

ICBs are responsible for making a wide range of decisions, from the contents of overarching policies and budget setting to day-to-day decisions that affect specific individuals.

Equality analysis is a way of considering the effect on different groups protected from discrimination by the Equality Act, such as people of different ages. There are two reasons for this:

To consider if there are any unintended consequences for some groups. To consider if the policy will be fully effective for all target groups. It involves using equality information, and the results of engagement with protected groups and others, to understand the actual effect or the potential effect of the CCGs functions, policies, or decisions. It can help to identify practical steps to tackle any negative effects or discrimination, to advance equality, and to foster good relations.

The ICB uses an EIA template to assess and record its equality analysis for each project or area of work. The template also includes a list of the protected characteristics from the Equality Act and prompts to assess if other health inequalities might be present due to e.g. low income or access to services in rural areas.

The ICB will continue to support the production of EIAs for projects and transformation within the engagement function of NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB). These have been recognised as key to reference that due thought has been given to protected characteristics and communities of interest, and also to highlight areas where the voice of people and communities is missing. They will be a key part of the Health Inequalities Strategic Framework, and are reviewed and monitored by the Health Inequalities Oversight Group (HIOG).
Providers

The WRES applies to NHS providers, independent sector providers and voluntary sector providers. All providers of NHS services (other than primary care) are required to address the issue of workforce race inequality by implementing and using the WRES.

Key to the ICB achieving our equality objectives is our relationships and the support we provide to NHS and other key providers. In our supporting role, the ICB works collaboratively with providers to establish shared understandings and expectations, to be innovative while performing efficiently and effectively within an environment of economic restraint.

Key Providers Equality and Inclusion Webpages:

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust

Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust

Norfolk Community Health and Care

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust

East Coast Community Healthcare

James Paget University Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn
Meeting Statutory Human Right Requirements

The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out a range of rights which have implications for the way the ICB buys services and manages their workforce. In practice this means that we must:

Act compatibly with the rights contained in the Human Rights Act in everything we do. Recognise that anyone who is a ‘victim’ under the Human Rights Act can bring a claim against the ICB (in a UK court, tribunal, hearing or complaints procedure).

Wherever possible, existing laws that the ICB as a public body deals with, must be interpreted and applied in a way that fits with the rights in the Human Rights Act 1998.

Click the link here for more information on Understanding Human Rights.