Once for Scotland Approach

The Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Team in NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have begun work on two new learning resources in collaboration with stakeholders and partners: one focused on essential learning and the other on cultural humility.

1. New essential learning module

Aiming to cover the basics of equality, diversity, and human rights, this module will replace the existing one on Turas that many organisations use for their mandatory training.

The aim of the new module is to equip the health and social care workforce with core knowledge and awareness of key topics and issues and to provide organisations with reassurance that their staff have completed a foundation level learning resource on equality and diversity.

We are planning to include more stories and lived experience using audio and video to engage leaners allowing them opportunities to reflect on their own practice, role or working environment.

To make this happen we are working with representatives from health boards and health and social care partnerships to design and develop the content and we have a wider group of stakeholders which includes local authorities, social care organisations and professional groups to help with reviewing and testing further down the line.

Want to know more?

Contact Helen Sikora helen.sikora@nhs.scot or the team at nes.equalityteam@nhs.scot

2. New Cultural Humility learning resource

This online digital learning resource will supplement the essential learning module (above) by focusing on the values and behaviours that support an inclusive workplace culture that values and recognises diversity. The resource aims to provide a starting point for reflection by sharing lived experiences and stories to demonstrate what practicing cultural humility looks like in health and social care.

Want to know more?

Contact Lynn Welsh, lynn.welsh3@nes.scot.nhs.uk or Katy Hetherington, Katy.hetherington@nhs.scot

Both new learning resources will be available to the health and social care workforce via Turas by the end of 2023. In the meantime, please look at the learning resources already on offer by visiting the Equality and Diversity Zone on Turas.

NES Equality and Inclusion Staff Networks

NES has the following staff networks that NES employees can join. This includes all employed by NES (employees and trainees).

NES Disability, Long-term Conditions, Mental Health, and Neurodiversity Network.

NES LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer +) Network.

NES Parents and Carers Network.

NES Under-Represented Ethnic Minority Network.

The aim of the staff networks is to:

• provide lived experience peer support to each other in a safe environment
• awareness raising and education on the issues relating to the network focus
• contributing lived experience to the review or development of NES policies, procedures, and practices
• provide opportunities for allies to understand, support and act on minority staff issues in NES

The networks have Chairs, a term of reference for each network and an overall action plan for all the staff networks. The processes for involvement in the staff networks include:

• Regular meetings – there is a safe space peer support session at the end of each meeting for lived experience members
• Posting information, queries etc on the dedicated Teams channel
• Drop-in sessions focused on areas identified by members e.g. ADHD/Neurodiversity, Long Term Conditions, Mental Health and Menopause
• Coffee catch ups
• Time limited subgroups working on areas identified by network members or asked for by policy developers

For more information or to discuss the networks contact the Equality and Inclusion Network Coordinator priscilla.marongwe@nhs.scot