Anti-racism statement

At York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust we recognise that racism exists within society, and is experienced by our colleagues, our patients, and people living in the communities we serve.

We recognise our role and responsibility as an employer and a provider of healthcare to lead by example and demonstrate our Trust values, so it is not enough to be ‘not racist’. To be an anti-racist organisation means actively working to understand racism and its impact, both individual and institutional, and for everyone to challenge racist actions and behaviours wherever they take place.

No one should be treated unfairly because of the colour of their skin or their ethnic background. We all deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and acknowledged for our value as individuals.

This is at the heart of our Trust values of kindness, openness and excellence, and the behaviour framework that supports us to live these values states that we are respectful, we are fair, we are helpful, we listen, we collaborate, we are inclusive, we are professional, we demonstrate integrity and we are ambitious.

But we know, because our colleagues and our data tell us, that racism exists in our organisation, and the values and behaviours we expect from all are not the lived experience for everyone we treat or work alongside.

To become an anti-racist organisation, we must actively work to challenge and tackle racist behaviours, and continually review our policies and processes to ensure they are inclusive. This means we will:

• Provide visible commitment and leadership at Board level to being an anti-racist organisation, acting as role models and setting the standard for everyone.
• Analyse our data on an annual basis to understand performance and to inform areas for improvement.
• Review our race and ethnicity data recording processes and engage with local communities to improve data recording practices.
• Be open and transparent about our progress on anti-racism and hold ourselves to account for our progress.
• Demonstrate ‘zero tolerance’ to racism, and continue to raise awareness of this position through our ‘No excuse for abuse’ campaign.
• Proactively seek out instances of racial discrimination and racism and take meaningful action where we find it.
• Champion our Race Equality Network and listen to their feedback.
• Be inclusive in our communication, including the images and language we use.
• Ensure equitable access to employment and career development within our Trust.
• Acknowledge the role racism plays in the inequality of experience of patients using our services.
• Ensure equitable access to the services we provide, and listen to the experiences of our racially-minoritised communities.
• Use our position within our systems, networks and the region, to actively promote anti-racism with our partners.
• Provide training, development and awareness-raising.
• Celebrate our differences and the benefits of having a diverse workforce.