North West Trainee Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Allyship Network

 

                         

Who are we?

The Allyship Network are a group of medical, dental and public health trainees in the North West region, with support from local consultants and other healthcare professionals.

 

Our vision

We envisage that the North West will be the most inclusive region in which to train. Every trainee will feel valued for their whole selves, whilst being supported to meet their personal and professional goals in a community in which they feel a sense of belonging.

 

Structure

What is the EDI Strategic Oversight Group?

The Oversight Group is made up of a diverse group of trainees who lead on the development and implementation of the strategy. The strategy and terms of reference for the Oversight Group can be found in the documents below. New members will be recruited to the Oversight Group each year.

 

What is the Allyship Network?

Network members are trainees in postgraduate medicine, dentistry and public health in the North West who are passionate about improving inclusivity within the North West training programmes. Members of the Network contribute to one or more of our workstreams listed below. Each workstream feeds into the overall mission in its own way. Involvement in the Network should be seen as a great opportunity to develop your leadership, QI and educational skills. There is the chance to be mentored and supported by senior educators, and many opportunities for developing generic portfolio-based competencies, as well as the chance to present at meetings.

The work of the Network has been presented at DEMEC 2021, the major national medical education conference, and was also shortlisted for a BMJ Award last year in the Diversity and Inclusion category.

 

What is the Allyship Consultant Network?

This is a group of diverse consultants, some of whom have “graduated” from the Allyship Network. They are planning their own streams of work, and will be available to provide support, education and training for trainees undertaking activities through the Network.

 

Regional Clinical Leadership Fellow for EDI

We are fortunate to have secured funding for a prestigious new role in the EDI fellowship which runs for a year from September 2022. Appointment was highly competitive, and we are pleased to introduce Angela Cain, who is an ST8 in paediatrics. Angela has lots of ideas and will be working on a variety of projects in the coming year, including developing an anti-racism strategy for training settings, as well as developing her own leadership skills.

 

Associate Dean for EDI

This post is currently held by Clare Inkster, who is also a consultant ophthalmologist at the Royal Bolton Hospital. She has a long-held interest in everything EDI, and has been involved at trust, regional and national levels. Clare has ADHD, which was only recently diagnosed. If you would like to get in touch with Clare, please feel free via clare.inkster@hee.nhs.uk

 

What are the different workstreams I can get involved in?

QI Delivery Group

 

Do you have an idea to improve equality, diversity and inclusion practices in your trust or the wider training network? Do you have an idea on how to improve access to health services for patients? This group is co-led by Mrs Clare Inkster (Associate Dean) and Dr Gursh Johal (Psychiatry ACF ST3) who will teach, mentor and guide you through the process of implementing a QI project. There will be an opportunity to share your work at the QI Project Conference at the end of each academic year. If you don’t have a particular idea in mind, you can still join the group and help out with an existing project. 

Examples of QI projects submitted for 2020/21: 

  • Developing webpages for the EDI group!
  • Developing a buddy scheme for new international medical graduate trainees within GP and Psychiatry training. GP 'Buddy' Scheme NW - Toni Frgacic
  • Delivering bystander apathy training to empower trainees to speak up when they witness inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.
  • Delivering a trainee-led Equality, Diversity and Inclusion study day for Anaesthetic trainees.
  • Developing a scheme to support deaf trainees.                                                                                             
Peer Support Network
 

We are in the process of developing a Peer Support Network, led by Dr Hussain Raja (IMT1). This is a group of trainees with their own personal experiences and characteristics who have volunteered to be contacted by other trainees for informal advice around specific issues related to training. We are in the process of updating the members of the Peer Support Network and details of how to contact them will soon be available in the documents below. For the time being, you can access the information by e-mailing the edinetwork.nw@hee.nhs.uk and one of the team will contact you with details. 

If you would like to get involved in peer support yourself, please do consider joining the Allyship Network. 

We are developing a formal website for the Peer Support Network which will list useful links and documents in addition to the members contact details.

 

Educator Development Group

 

The Educator Development Group is dedicated to producing and delivering workshops to trainees, supervisors and medical educators based on trainees’ experiences and how to dismantle the barriers faced by trainees. Workshops often include a trainee talking about their own personal experience as well as discussions around unconscious bias and action planning.

 

Active Bystander Training 

 

This is a workstream led by Dr Naomi Fleming (consultant anaesthetist at MFT) which delivers training to encourage and support people to speak up when they see or hear something harmful in the workplace. It provides the knowledge and understanding of bystander apathy, and the benefits for all of speaking up. It also recognises that there are a variety of ways that this can be done, and provides you with different tools and tips to undertake this safely and effectively.

For the details of the available Active Bystander training dates or to request a session for your department / trust please go to the Active Bystander page.

 

Content Creation

 

This workstream is about all types of content relating to EDI. Currently this has involved setting up this webpage and producing videos of trainees discussing their experiences of discrimination which has been used in a module on EDI in Clinical Education at Edge Hill University. We also have plans to create more videos which can be used as resources and uploaded to our webpages, and potentially using social media to advertise our activities. We are looking for people with the relevant skills to create the content, as well as those that may want to help by taking starring roles! Please join the Network if you think this may be for you.

 

International Medical Graduate Support

 

This is a workstream which seeks to welcome international colleagues to the UK and support them to achieve their full potential working in the NHS. Working with the Associate Dean for International Doctors and SAS doctors, Dr Aruna Hodgson, many trainees have been involved in developing an induction pack, the HEE Enhanced Induction Course, and setting up mentoring schemes. The workstream was set up Dr Mahmoud Ahmed (now a consultant ophthalmologist), and is currently led by Dr Taqua Dahab, ST6 in intensive care medicine.

 

Support for People Experiencing Domestic Abuse and Violence

 

Domestic Abuse and Violence (DAV) includes (but is not limited to) coercive control, physical, sexual, psychological, economic and social violence. We know that many people are suffering from DAV and healthcare staff can be more at risk. We want you to know that if you are feeling scared, or need support, we are here for you. We believe you, it is not your fault and we are willing to help you. So if you, or anyone you know may be suffering from DAV, you can contact a helpline specific to your area. Click on the link to know how to get the help you need. DAV GM Helplines 

Please note, the organisations will do their best to ensure that you are safe. They will work in ways to help protect you discreetly, offer solutions (including financial), and to help support you in getting confidential access to support. 

We hope you find this link useful. Please contact us if you feel there is anything missing or something we can add to this resource. We hope to provide a similar resource for those living outside Greater Manchester in the near future. 

 

How do I get involved?

If you would like to join the Allyship Network for 2022-23, please complete the short application form here. Please indicate whether you would like to be considered for membership of the EDI Strategic Oversight Group. Further infromation can be found here.  Once you have submitted the form please email edinetwork.nw@hee.nhs.uk to let us know. 

 

Useful Documents and Resources

      Lead Employer

      International Medical Graduates

      Surgery

      Equality Diversity and Inclusion

      Reciprocal Mentoring Pilot Documents

      Other Resources

      The 'Healthy English' Website

      'Healthy English' the website to support the language and communication skills of non-native speakers of English, their colleagues and their trainers working in the NHS can now be accessed at: consultationskills.com. Please see the flyer for further details and information on how to register.