Health and care staff in the Black Country have been recognised at this year’s Midlands Inclusivity and Diversity Award Scheme (MIDAS).
Organised by NHS England, the MIDAS is an annual celebration that aims to promote new and excellent ways of working by staff, managers, and leaders across the region, who are making the Midlands a more inclusive place to work.
The Healthier Futures Black Country Integrated Care System (ICS) was awarded the Inclusive ICS of the Year Award, for its work with health and care organisations across the system to help positively tackle racism within the workforce and inequalities in health among local people. The Black Country ICS has established an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, led extensive engagement, and implemented robust governance infrastructure to eliminate workforce inequality and discrimination, and improve staff experience.
Shajeda Ahmed, Chief People Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), also received the Excellence in Leadership Award for her commitment to inclusive executive leadership and reducing racism in the workplace. Her approach has supported the wide-scale adoption of a suite of anti-racism e-learning education packages across the whole of the Black Country. This has resulted in improvements in national workforce performance data, including an increase in a more diverse workforce representation, reduced bullying and harassment, staff feeling like the organisation was fairer, and better overall board diversity.
Colleagues across the system were also nominated for awards, including Laura Cowley, Network Co-ordinator at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust who won the EDI Champion of the Year Award. As the staff network co-ordinator, Laura has contributed to building an inclusive environment and a workplace where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel valued, respected, and included.
Mark Axcell, Chief Executive Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “Diversity and inclusion is a key part of our strategy as a system and it’s brilliant to see so many colleagues receive recognition for their hard work in addressing workforce race equality issues.
“To be awarded the Inclusive ICS of the Year Award is a fantastic achievement and a special thanks goes to the members of our ICS EDI workstream team who continue to work tirelessly on this important agenda.
“This is also well-deserved recognition for Shajeda and the important work she is doing to drive meaningful change across the system, ensuring the Black Country is an inclusive place to work for all staff.
“Huge congratulations to everyone involved.”
