Equality and diversity

We serve diverse communities in Hertfordshire. This diversity is reflected in the profile of our patients and workforce and brings many benefits.

We have a longstanding commitment to ensure our services and employment practices are fair, accessible and appropriate for everyone we serve.

Our aim is to provide an environment that is equally welcoming to people of all backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and religions.

 

Equality and community engagement

Our Equality and Community Engagement Forum is where we meet and plan service improvements with a wide range of representatives from community organisations in Hertfordshire. The principle of community engagement is an essential component of our patient experience strategy and approach. Community and Engagement Forum members include representatives from:

The forum has a positive and progressive atmosphere where diversity is embraced and difficult issues are discussed.

Improving care for people with learning disabilities

The Purple Star Strategy is a unique innovation developed by the Health Liaison Team at Hertfordshire County Council, in partnership with key stakeholders and aimed to prevent people with learning disabilities being disadvantaged by a lack of understanding of their needs.

Our Special Care Dental Service has a Purple Star kite mark for delivering high quality care to patients with a learning disability.

Our Learning Disability Action Plan sets out our priorities for improving care for people with learning disabilities.

Example of The Purple Star Practice magazine

Equality information

We are required to publish equality information at least once a year about staff and service users affected by our decisions and policies. We also publish equality objectives at least every four years.

Equality reports

These reports can be made available in different formats such as large print, Braille, audio version or in alternative languages. Please contact our Communication Team 

Gender pay gap

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is required by law to carry out gender pay reporting under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.

Gender pay gap reports

 

NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard

As part of our work to build an inclusive culture at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust we are pleased to report on the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES).

The WRES requires NHS organisations to demonstrate progress against nine race equality indicators. It is intended to support the career development of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff and ensure the Trust workforce is representative of the communities it serves.

Our aim is to create a workforce that is as diverse as it can be at all levels of the organisation, so that we are representative of the population we serve, and our working environment is free from discrimination.

Our WRES reports

Workforce Disability Equality Standard

The Trust is committed to improve disability equality.The national NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) was introduced in 2018. It is a set of ten specific measures which enables NHS organisations to compare the workplace and career experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff.

Our Workforce Disability WDES reports are publicly available, along with an action plan to address and promote disability equality.

Our WDES reports and action plan