- Conference
- 2022 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 9 December 2021
- Decision
- Carried
Conference is alarmed by the force with which Black communities have been hit by the pandemic and how this has highlighted the long-term impact of racism on people’s physical and mental health, leaving them more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Conference welcomes the union’s Race for Equality campaign that has provided materials for and equipped branches to challenge racism in the NHS. And Conference recognises and welcomes the growing strength of feeling across all levels of the NHS that more must be done to fight racism.
Conference welcomes the continuing work that has been done in England on the Workforce Race Equality Standards – to collect data on racist incidents and racial discrimination in the NHS – in order to highlight the main areas where work must be done. However, tackling racism cannot start and end with collecting data – action needs to be taken too.
We acknowledge the valuable work that has been taking place across the UK in branches to fight racism. We also commend the important work that takes place every day through community groups, local networks and other organisations fighting racism such as Hope Not Hate and Show Racism the Red Card and encourage branches to work together with these organisations to tackle racism experienced by NHS staff.
Conference supports the idea that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge racism – it must not be left to Black activists or Black members to challenge alone. We welcome the ‘One Team against Racism’ ethos that is being promoted through the union’s Race for Equality campaign and wish to see it promoted in every workplace.
Conference recognises that it is imperative that we are at the forefront of the movement to fight racism and therefore calls on the HSGE to:
1. Take forward priority actions agreed at the special health conference 2021
2. Support branches to develop practical measures to tackle race discrimination through effective partnership working with
a. employers using the UNISON Race for Equality pledge
b. staff networks using the Staff Council good practice guide
c. local staff sides using the NHS unions’ ‘health check’ guide
3. Promote and develop team-based approaches emphasising that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge and prevent racist behaviour in the workplace from patients, the public or staff – ‘One team against racism’
4. Ask regional health committees to oversee progress on branch use of the Race for Equality materials to push for practical action on approaches to recruitment and selection; bullying and harassment; and disciplinary proceedings – with a particular focus on implementing just and learning culture programmes through partnership activity
5. Call for effective and consistent training and accountability measures for all line managers to equip them to deliver on race equality and inclusion
6. Work through partnership structures and through direct engagement with Westminster and devolved governments to influence NHS race equality strategies/plans and push for greater employer accountability where racial disparities persist