Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RPHFT) took accountability and reviewed historic policies that negatively impacted their internationally educated workforce (IEW) by not recognising prior experience.
RPHFT is a specialist cardiothoracic hospital, treating around 50,000 patients each year. RPHFT is a member of Cambridge University Health Partners, a partnership between global leading universities and three NHS foundation trusts. The trust employs over 2,400 staff members across the hospital, research institutes and offices. The trust has been recruiting an IEW for several years and has a workforce ethnic diversity of 30%, which is above that of the local population.
RPHFT have been considering the experience of their IEW as part of the trust's wider strategic direction. This work has included:
- An explicit commitment within their organisational strategy to offering their employees a positive staff experience "...where they can feel valued for what they bring to the trust...".
- A collaboration with system leaders to develop an anti-racism strategy for the East of England region, sharing learning with their board colleagues.
- A transformational reciprocal mentoring programme, in which RPHFT board members have participated.
As a result of these interventions, RPHFT identified that the experience of internationally educated nurses (IENs) was not in line with the organisational strategy or commitment to being an anti-racist organisation. Board members listened to feedback from the ethnic minority staff network and found that there was inequity within the remuneration process for IENs. This was a result of prior experience not being considered when setting post registration starting salaries. The board created a working group to propose and implement actions to rectify this. The board's decision to recognise prior experience for their IEW resulted in financial benefits for the impacted staff, alongside extensive positive feedback from their IEW expressing their feelings of being heard and valued.
RPHFT was awarded the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award by NHS England in June 2023.
Hear from the trust
The Race Equality programme spoke to Oonagh Monkhouse, director of workforce and organisational development, and Onika Patrick-Redhead, head of equality diversity and inclusion, at RPHFT about the implementation of these interventions, the challenges faced, their impact, learning for the board, and advice for board members looking to support their IEW.
Whilst addressing pay disparities made a financial difference to those affected, there was also a huge impact on the overall staff experience. Feedback from the staff network and letters and emails from IENs showed that they felt heard and valued. The board shared their learning and reasoning behind the decision within meetings and through staff briefings. They also publicly apologised to staff for the systemic inequality that had been perpetuated as a result of the historic policy - as part of their commitment to anti-racism and being held accountable.
- The size of the task can feel overwhelming, but it's better to start with one small incremental step at a time than not take any action at all.