NHS Providers in collaboration with leading healthcare law firm Hempsons has published a comprehensive guide for trust leaders on how to tackle racial discrimination in disciplinary procedures and to create a more inclusive and equitable work environment.

Closing the gap: a guide to addressing racial discrimination in disciplinaries has been designed as a roadmap to tackle racial discrimination, providing trust leaders with actionable insights, case studies and practical interventions to narrow the gap and improve the workplace experience for staff from diverse backgrounds.

The guide encourages the development of race equality within the NHS and the wider healthcare community. By providing practical strategies and first-hand insights from trusts, Closing the gap can empower trust leaders to take meaningful steps towards a more inclusive and equitable future for staff.

Case studies are provided by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Common themes in the guide include:

• Leadership commitment: leaders play a pivotal role in driving change and setting the tone for inclusivity and equity.
• Cultivating a restorative culture: viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth, minimising negative impacts, and empowering staff to learn from them is key.
• Anti-racism training and awareness: these initiatives are essential to dismantling biases and fostering an inclusive workplace.
• Data monitoring and analysis: insights on effective data collection and analysis techniques and why regularly monitoring and analysing data, especially by ethnicity, is a vital practice to identify disparities and measure progress.
• Learning from external sources: seeking support and learning from trusts that have made progress in this area can provide practical advice on what drives the greatest impact.
• Transparent communication: strategies for fostering open dialogue and inclusivity and why transparent communication about race equality, even when conversations are 'uncomfortable,' is a fundamental element of progress.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said:

"We know that inclusive cultures within the NHS are critically important for staff wellbeing and high-quality care.

"Trust leaders remain committed to addressing systemic race inequality within the NHS and acting on clear evidence of race discrimination in disciplinary procedures.

"We hope this new guide will serve as a valuable resource for trust leaders in their ongoing efforts to address the disciplinary gap.

"By providing practical guidance and insights, it aims to support the transformative change required for a more inclusive healthcare workforce and ultimately, better patient care."

Andrew Davison, head of employment at Hempsons said:

"With its extensive experience in employment law, Hempsons brings a unique legal perspective to understanding and closing the disciplinary gap.

"Our lawyers are passionate about using their experience to help trusts address this issue, which is a crucial part of any organisation's work on anti-racism as well as for promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality within the NHS workforce, and for ensuring that all staff are treated fairly and equitably."