Mersey Care has zero acceptance of racism, discrimination, and unacceptable behaviours from and toward our workforce and our patients, service users, carers and families.
By launching the perfect care goal in 2022, we were reaffirming our commitment to actively oppose racism and making a commitment that we would do things differently going forwards.
The core principles of our anti-racism plan are:
- Support
- Education
- Challenge.
Within a restorative, just, and learning culture we will hold ourselves and each other to account for being actively anti-racist. This approach allows us to unapologetically and purposefully identify, discuss and challenge racism.
Since the launch of our perfect care goal there has been progress in many areas. Whilst there continues to be work to be completed and taken forward these are some of the achievements made:
- The launch campaign included two weeks of activities raising awareness and highlighting the core messaging of the perfect care goal. In order to enable us to clarify the intention of the perfect care goal as Strategic Plan with an underlaying operational plan was developed.
- The anti-racism work has cascaded through the organisation in many ways. Including videos, leadership forums, clinical and dental senates, YourBrief, YourSpace, training and development, inductions and woven throughout the core leadership, belonging and engagement offers.
- For the 23/24 PACE window we asked people to record activity and have discussions about becoming “actively anti-racist”. This has take the conversation to every employee of Mersey Care.
- We had a whole series of events for Race Equality Week in 2022. This included sessions on microaggressions, the importance of names, psychological safety, and anti-racism.
- The anti-racism eLearning module was launched in August 2023 and so far nearly 90% of our workforce have completed the module.
- Work to review recruitment and retention processes has been taking place and we introduced a new values-based training programme for recruiters that includes our anti-racism work.
- Specific anti-racism modules have been developed within all our leadership module and we have woven anti-racism, inclusion and belonging throughout our core leadership offer.
- The QRV team now includes discussion and assessment of cultural and anti-racism within their programmes of work.
- The Respect and Civility Wheel (previously jigsaw) was launched in November 2023, this now clearly identifies microaggressions and the impact that they can have on colleagues.
- Working closely with our Multi Ethnic Colleagues Network we have been cocreating and developing the work we continue to take forward.
- We have commissioned a racialised trauma support offer and this was launched in August 2023. We continue to work with the provider to develop the offer further with intra cultural workshops and support.
- We commissioned an external specialist training company to deliver an actively anti-racist leadership development programme for our senior leaders and also a programme for our support services functions. Cohort 1 for both programmes has now completed and cohort 2 commences in April 2024.
- The Patient Carer Race Equality Framework launched in July 2023 and work has been taken forward working with our patients and carers in our clinical areas.
- We have developed the plan for year 2 with the focus being on the core principles:
- Support
- Educate
- Challenge.
This is an active message, and we will continue to provide resources for you to access to support your own exploration on becoming actively anti-racist.
We welcome and encourage you to explore your own reflections on this important agenda and see how you too can become actively anti-racist. See our additional information link for the slides presented at the launch event, a series of prompt questions to support your reflections and other resources.
Support
Nafsiyat 1:1 Intercultural Therapy Offer
One to one sessions
Nafsiyat provides confidential, one-to-one intercultural therapy sessions for colleagues from racially minoritised groups. Delivered online by experienced therapists, the service offers a safe and supportive space to explore emotions, wellbeing concerns and workplace experiences that may be influenced by perceptions of race, ethnicity or culture.
Support is available in a range of languages, and colleagues can typically expect to be offered an initial appointment within four to six weeks of referral.
How to access support
Accessing the service is simple and confidential.
To refer, complete the Nafsiyat referral form. Referrals can be submitted by you directly or by a friend, colleague or line manager with your consent. All referrals are treated in the strictest confidence.
Please complete this referral form.
You do not need to inform anyone that you have made a referral. However, you may wish to discuss time away from work duties with your line manager if appointments fall during working hours.
What happens next?
- Referrals are reviewed and triaged within one week
- A first appointment is usually offered within four to six weeks
- The initial appointment is a 90-minute assessment with a member of the Nafsiyat intercultural therapy team
- Following assessment, and where appropriate, further therapy sessions will be agreed between you and your Therapist
- Ongoing therapy sessions are 50 minutes in duration
- All sessions are delivered online via Zoom
- Joining instructions and all appointment communications will be sent directly to you by Nafsiyat.
All contact with the service remains confidential between you and Nafsiyat.