The NHS Employers' Partners programme is in its fourth year. It operates within the programmes and priorities identified by the Department of Health’s Equality and Diversity Council and Leadership Council.
What does Partner status mean?
Partner status is determined on an annual basis against a number of measurable indicators. Partner status assumes that the organisation can be held up as exemplars in the field of equality and diversity.
Partners are required to demonstrate that they meet minimum requirements and have in place a robust equality and diversity work plan. The work plan must also contain elements of national activities in support of the NHS Employers equality and diversity team work plan. Organisations becoming Partners will be required to enter into an yearly agreement.
What is the role and and duties of a Partner?
NHS Employers Equality and Diversity Partners represent a range of different sizes, types and locations of NHS organisations. Their role is to offer advice, guidance and demonstrations of good practice in equality and diversity management to the NHS.
The main duties of a Partner are:
- supporting their local trusts on equality and diversity by sharing good practice, learning and expertise
- contributing at least two case studies to share with be published on the shared learning section of NHS Employers website
- promote equality and diversity and the work of NHS Employers within their geographical area
- supporting us to develop new guidance for the service
- helping us to run regional learning events for the service on specific areas of equality and diversity
- being members of our Partner reference group and attending bi-monthly partner meetings
- helping to inform and shape our work programme to support employers
- supporting and promoting the continuing development of the Partners programme
- actively participate in national benchmarking activities supported by NHS Employers, such as Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index
- contribute to consultation processes initiated by NHS Employers in response to national issues
- act in a quality assurance capacity for the emerging good practice submitted through the network.
What are the benefits of being a Partner?
We work closely with our Partners and support them to embed equality and diversity in their organisation. Other key benefits for NHS organisations in becoming a Partner site are:
- access to training, development, coaching and mentoring for the Partner lead person on the use of the tools within the programme
- through NHS Employers, access to key national forums on equality and diversity and national learning events
- networking opportunities with other Partner trusts
- the opportunity to help shape and influence national policies on equality and diversity
- opportunities to discuss, network and test out new concepts within the safe environment of Partner meetings
- external recognition as an organisation that demonstrates good practice on equality and diversity
- increased profile of the organisation at network events, conferences – and through the NHS Employers website and communications.
More information
You can download our brochure on the Partners programme, which gives details of the minimum criteria for achieving Partner status as well as the duties and responsibilities of a Partner.