Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 14 May
May 14, 2021
This week has been a very busy one. It has at times felt overwhelming. The enormity of the agenda we have to manage and deliver on as an organisation, has honed into view for me.
The intensity of that agenda was nicely encapsulated in that we had three awareness raising and celebration weeks to note last week, all of which were competing for air time and for space in our collective consciousness given the enormity of the recovery, restoration, population health and people agenda we have to deliver on. We were celebrating International Nurses Day on Wednesday. We also needed to note Mental Health Awareness Week and it was also NHS Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Awareness Week. I feel we gave International Nurses Day good air time and my exec colleagues and I enjoyed handing out the goody bags to nursing and HCA colleagues in our services this week. The day was also marked with a hugely emotional “Shine a Light” memorial service, which the Trust Chair, Sir David, and I attended with Mel, our Chief Nurse and was expertly led by our Head Chaplain, Rev Mary Causer. The event celebrated nursing and nurses, but also respectfully honoured the memory of colleagues we have lost during the last year, including those who contracted COVID. Their family members attended. One family came up from London for the ceremony. It was an emotional but expertly handled event, which combined both celebration and commemoration. You can watch the service below:
As I said above, it has also been NHS Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week. We haven’t addressed that week particularly strongly as a Trust but I would certainly like to address that now. It is important that we do, not just for one week, but in every week. Our community is very diverse and our society is changing rapidly in its expectations. Discrimination of any kind cannot be tolerated.
I’d like to start my comments on equality and inclusion with an apology. The key event of Iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan, held at the Sandwell site on Friday 30th April, was not a success. A combination of miscommunication and other misunderstandings led to an event which could have been handled within the Hallam restaurant, being crammed into the foyer of the restaurant with colleagues waiting outside to get in. A celebration event which should have shown inclusivity and togetherness between people of different faiths, didn’t achieve that. To all colleagues who experienced this, I am sorry and we will ensure next year’s event is better planned and will be a success.
As we work towards truly embedding Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) within our organisation, making it the “golden thread” running through all that we do, I ask you all to consider what you will personally do to help foster an authentic, inclusive, compassionate organisation – for each other, our communities and for our patients. We can no longer afford to pay lip service to the EDI agenda. The last 14 months has highlighted the devastating effects of inequalities. The vaccination hesitancy amongst colleagues from different ethnic backgrounds has highlighted the need for greater curiosity and understanding of each other’s beliefs. We must remind each other that equality is not just about race, either. It’s about understanding of and equal rights for, people with disabilities, of different sexual orientation.
Our staff opinion survey results show that we are far worse than even the average Trusts in the country when it comes to the lived experience of staff with protected characteristics. We can and must do better. The change starts with you.
Star of the week this week is Beth Hampl, Nursing Associate on Newton 3 who was nominated by medical colleagues for frequently going the extra mile to support patients and colleagues on the ward. Beth was particularly commended for her care for a patient at end of life which and the liaison with the family and being a great example of excellent nursing care. Thank you, Beth.
Have a good weekend and a good week, and may I wish Eid Mubarak to all our Muslim colleagues.
Richard Beeken
Interim Chief Executive