Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and Human Rights are enshrined in the NHS Constitution and are central to everything we do at our Trust.  The Trust embraces the NHS Constitution's commitment to treating our staff - our people - with dignity, fairness and respect to create a working environment that is supportive, inclusive and offers personal and professional growth. 

The need to support and develop compassionate and inclusive leadership, to engage and inspire our workforce, to proactively support wellbeing, to adopt innovative approaches to recruitment and retention, and to maintain a focus on our culture, remain critical to our success.  We will embrace the NHS People Plan and it is embedded in our People & Organisational Development Strategy.

The NHS Constitution is very clear: 'Everyone Counts' be they patients or staff.  This means the NHS needs to consider the outcomes that different people experience; taking different or extra steps to improve access and design services so that their health outcomes and experiences are equitable.  We will carry the values of integrating equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do to enable positive outcomes for everyone who comes in to contact with us.  More specifically, we will work in partnership so that people at all levels of our organisation conduct and plan their business to demonstrate due regard to eliminate unlawful discrimination; promote equal opportunity; and foster good relations within their organisation and beyond.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has four Staff Equality Networks:

• Race Equality
• LGBT+ Equality
• Disability & Long Term Conditions Equality
• Neurodiversity Equality

The networks were launched in July 2020 and now meet bi-monthly on MS Teams.  

In November 2021, a quarterly 'Cultural Leadership Board' was launched, Chaired by our Chief Executive; with representation including Police, Local Authority and the Prison Service.  The Board aims to provide an overview and scrutiny to diversity and inclusion performance as an Isle of Wight system.

 Our People & Organisational Development Strategy will complement our wider workforce and clinical strategy and our inclusive culture will be defined by our organisational vision and values:

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Act 2015 statement

At the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, we are committed to maintaining and improving systems, processes, and policies to avoid complicity in human rights violation in any part of our business or our supply chain. We realise that slavery and human trafficking can occur in many forms, such as forced labour, domestic servitude, sex trafficking and workplace abuse. Our policies, governance and legal arrangements are robust, ensuring that proper checks and due diligence take place in our employment procedures to ensure compliance with this legislation. We are guided by a strict set of ethical values in all our business dealings and expect our suppliers (for example, all companies we do business with) to adhere to these same principles.