“The NHS provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status. The service is designed to improve, prevent, diagnose and treat both physical and mental health problems with equal regard. It has a duty to each and every individual that it serves and must respect their human rights. At the same time, it has a wider social duty to promote equality through the services it provides and to pay particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.”
Principle 1 of the NHS Constitution for England (2015)
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to ensuring the NHS Constitution is alive in our organisation. By adhering to its principles and our own organisational values of ‘One Team’ and ‘Dignity and Respect’ we will work proactively to ensure that our staff and patients receive equal care, equal opportunities, and an outstanding experience during their time with us.
Annual diversity report
In order to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty SASH reports its workforce diversity data on an annual basis to support staff experience and reduce inequalities in the workplace.
SASH 2019 workforce diversity report SASH 2018 workforce diversity report SASH 2017 workforce diversity report SASH 2016 workforce diversity report SASH 2015 workforce diversity report
Workforce Race Equality Standard
SASH is engaged in the work around the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) that was launched in April 2015, and is working closely with the WRES implementation team at NHS England to embed the WRES in how we work at SASH.
SASH WRES Report
Gender Pay report
Gender Pay Gap Report 2020 Gender Pay Gap Report 2019 Download the Gender Pay report – March 2018
SASH inclusion strategy
One Team Inclusion Strategy
NHS Rainbow Badge initiative
Have you spotted our NHS rainbow badges?
You may have seen some of our staff wearing NHS rainbow badges. The badges are just one way to show that we are an open, non-judgemental and inclusive place for people that identify as LGBT+.
LGBT+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and the + simply means that we are inclusive of all identities, regardless of how people define themselves.
If you see someone wearing a badge, you can ask them about it. The badge is a reminder that you can talk to our staff about who you are, be open about your identity and how you feel. They will do their best to get support for you if you need it.
About the Rainbow Badges initiative
The Rainbow Badge initiative originated at Evelina London Children’s Hospital to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion.
A recent Stonewall survey (published November 2018) stated that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) patients face inequalities in their experience of NHS healthcare. The survey estimates that one in five LGBT+ people are not out to any healthcare professional about their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care, and one in seven LGBT+ people have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination.
We believe that people who work in healthcare can play a key role in making things better.
To begin to increase awareness of these issues, and to help improve the experiences of healthcare for LBGT+ patients, many of our staff wear NHS rainbow badges.
The Sunflower Scheme
Supporting our patients and visitors
At SASH we are committed to improving the experience of patients and visitors accessing our services. In support of our Inclusion Strategy, we have launched the Hidden Disabilities, Sunflower Scheme at SASH.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme was introduced by Gatwick Airport in 2016 to support customers with hidden disabilities to be able to access and receive the help and support they require.
As part of the scheme anyone living with a hidden disability can wear a sunflower product as an indicator that they may need additional support or a little more time during their visit to the hospital, whilst preserving their dignity and respect. Patients and visitors with hidden disabilities may not be identifiable to all staff and the scheme will help us to offer a valuable method of being able to provide those with hidden disabilities the best experience and access to care.
Hidden disabilities don’t have physical signs and include; learning difficulties, mental health, mobility, and speech, visual or hearing impairments. They can also include asthma, COPD, and other lung conditions as well as chronic illnesses such as renal failure, diabetes, and sleep disorders when those diseases significantly impact day-to-day life. The products are bright green in colour and decorated with a yellow sunflower design, so they can be seen clearly from a distance, ensuring that everyone is visible when they need to be.
Support for our staff
We pride ourselves on delivering safe and high quality care to all our patients. We are also committed to ensuring that all our staff and volunteers are supported to thrive in their role at the Trust. To do this, we encourage colleagues with hidden disabilities to wear a sunflower pin badge.
For more information about the Sunflower Scheme, click here.
