Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust reaps the rewards of diversity

• Published in: Human resource management international digest Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 26 - 28
• Main Author: Pollitt, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Group Publishing Limited 20.02.2006
• Subjects: Case studies; Corporate culture; Diversity training; Equal rights; Equality; Hospitals; Human resource management; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Prejudice; Stereotypes; Workforce; Workplace diversity; United Kingdom > UK; Training; National Health Trusts; Equal opportunities
• ISSN: 0967-0734; 1758-7166
• DOI: 10.1108/09670730610656905

Purpose - Aims to recount how an equality and diversity staff-development program is helping Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust to place increasing value on equality and inclusion, and to reap the rewards of a diverse workforceDesign methodology approach - Contains information from the trust's director of workforce development and Academee, the learning and development specialist closely involved in the program.Findings - Finds that the program has: helped staff to acknowledge any subconscious biases and tendency to stereotype; revealed for employees how to understand the ways in which prejudices can manifest themselves as active discrimination; highlighted any inappropriate actions; and led to sustainable changes in behavior. Reveals that the program has become a key part of induction training for new staff, and also central to customer-care training, which ensures that staff are increasingly sensitive to meeting the needs of different communities.Originality value - Demonstrates how the program has helped Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust to gain: good basic understanding of the issues and legal requirements related to the subject of equality and diversity; awareness that people being equal does not mean that they are the same as each other, or that their needs are the same; and clear understanding that the trust expects all staff to treat colleagues, patients, carers and visitors with respect and dignity, according to their diverse needs.