1. The Trust’s public duty – involving the community. Thursday 5 March 2009

2. Purpose of the day. To help extend and deepen the involvement of community groups and organisations with the Trust’s equality and diversity plans and actions.

3. Agenda for today. 14.30 – 16.30 Overview of Hospital E&D activity. Questions and answers. Discussion: What else could the Hospital(s) do to meet the needs of different parts of the community? Actions.

4. Meeting public duty expectations. Single Equality Scheme in place – after consultation. Contains an equality and diversity (E&D) action plan that is being followed and monitored. Equality impact assessment (EIA) programme being revamped in March/April 2009.

5. E&D action plan. Monitoring. How we know whether any group is being disadvantaged. Workforce and service provision being monitored. Being updated. Website publication.

6. E&D action plan Community consultation – historically valuable but ad-hoc. Planned involvement being started 5 March 2009. Regular, appropriate, meetings to be held.

7. E&D action plan Staff consultation – a feature of the way of doing things in the Trust. Diversity focus started – BME staff consultation in January 2009. BME and LGBT staff involvement being sought – to support events.

8. E&D action plan EIA toolkit being customised. EIA training being re-started. Policy process to involve EIAs going forward. Prioritised EIA review of current policies – timetable to come.

9. E&D action plan Compliance with Healthcare Commission and Care Quality Commission - annual audits (past) and registration (future). But not just a tick-box exercise – we are measuring against best practice – other Trusts, Dept Health, EHRC.

10. E&D action plan E&D Training is mandatory. 600 staff this year – half-day workshops. Covers legislation, inclusion/exclusion etc. EIA training being piloted. Specific training, eg disability awareness, being planned. Leadership workshop planned.

11. E&D action plan Diversity events calendar distributed. Programme of events underway. Participating in County/Borough initiatives on Black History Month, Pride, Partnership Network Forum (PNF). Planning a major seminar with Changing Faces charity.

12. Question and answer session. Any questions? Information, clarification, etc?

13. Next steps? What else could the Hospital(s) do to meet the needs of different parts of the community?

14. Actions. Next step commitments. Who will do what, by when?

15. Anything to add? How useful has this afternoon been for you? What worked well? What could be done differently?

16. Contact us... John McLellan, Interim equality and diversity adviser, 01245 514733 john.mclellan@meht.nhs.ukohn.mclellan@meht.nhs.uk Amanda Lyes, HR director, 01245 514733 amanda.lyes@meht.nhs.uk amanda.lyes@meht.nhs.uk Colin Rolfe, Staffside secretary, 01245 516452 colin.rolfe@meht.nhs.ukcolin.rolfe@meht.nhs.uk Catherine Morgan, Deputy Director of Nursing, 01245 514454 catherine.morgan@meht.nhs.uk catherine.morgan@meht.nhs.uk

17. www.meht.nhs.uk