NHS Norfolk
Profile
NHS Norfolk serves the population of Norfolk, (excluding the Great Yarmouth area).
We are a predominantly affluent rural community with concentrated pockets of high levels of deprivation. According to the 2001 census carried out by Norfolk County Council the population of the area is 796,728. The DOH Health Profile 2007 has recorded an increase in the population to 824,000.
NHS Norfolk area
Our BME population faces big issues…..
Size - There is a small but rapidly growing BME community within the PCT area. Usage of interpretation and translation services has grown steadily, with a marked increase in requests for these services in the PCT. For the year 2006/07 there were 5,426 requests and in 2007/08 5,833 requests were received.
Access to Services – The PCT has developed, in partnership with other statutory, community and voluntary agencies a number of individually tailored services aimed at specific BME groups concentrated within the major urban area of Norwich. One such project is Gateway. The project has been developed to co-ordinate health and social care of refugees dispersed as part of the UNHCR dispersal programme.
Key Issues - Part of the role for the Race for Health project lead will be to work with agencies, support groups and individuals in identifying any access issues around diversity. Suggesting ways to improve access to diverse communities as a whole and individuals thus providing services for all on an equal footing. The Trust aims to achieve this by evaluating annually the completed impact assessments carried out by each department of the Trust and suggesting, if necessary, ways of improvement.
Our workforce needs…
Us to understand them - by evaluating and monitoring annually, the ethnicity of staff employed by the Trust, measuring equality of trends and access to training and those accessing promotion, identifying any gaps to encourage diversity within the Trust.
To Understand Racial Equality – It is important for our staff to recognise that racial equality is everyone’s responsibility and we want to embed this in the workplace. Our Equality and Diversity training will help us to achieve this.
A BME staff network – We will be re-launching our BME network and will be linking into NHS East of England to ensure our network is effective and to keep BME staff informed of training, mentoring and leadership opportunities (e.g. Breaking Through and Leadership and Talent management).
Commissioning raises issues…
Commitment to equality of access – and the main issue is about ensuring access to care for discrete populations in a substantially dispersed rural county of over 1000 square miles.
We’re proud of…
New commitment to race equality – The PCT has implemented an e-training programme to raise equalities awareness, it has a dedicated section on its website to communicate developments and has a structure to drive improvement.
Recognition – Our translation and interpretation service, INTRAN, has been recognised by the Secretary of State. INTRAN was one of only six ‘good practice’ organisations highlighted as taking an ‘innovative approach’ in Hazel Blears’ report, which sets out guidance to local authorities on how to ‘build strong communities by promoting cohesion and integration locally’.
New staff – we have recently appointed an Equality and Diversity Manger to lead on Race for Health to support the very real difference we think that it can help us deliver.
Next steps…
Understanding - how we can make a real difference to the health of BME communities in Norfolk. Concluding a public health review to establish our priority areas and putting in place the infrastructure to support delivery of health improvement.
Programme lead:
Jennifer Downie, Equality and Diversity Manager
01603 257252 or Jennifer.downie@norfolk-pct.nhs.uk