North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust are proud to be launching the ‘See ME First’ initiative for staff as part of a national scheme adopted by partner NHS organisations. This includes the introduction of the See ME First badges to be worn by staff across the organisation which highlight individual pledges of support. The badges also aim to send out a message of equality, diversity and inclusivity, enabling staff to equitably achieve their full potential without barriers and be seen for who they are without judgement.
Staff members can sign up by making a pledge to listen and build a genuine awareness of the barriers faced by people from an ethnically diverse or Global Majority background. They also agree to challenge structural racism and foster a culture where all experience, skills and ideas are valued, and through this do their best to ensure that equity is a reality within the trust.
The trust is launching the See ME First badge scheme as part of Black History Month, to support the long-term development of the organisational culture of race inclusion and anti-racism.
Lesley Faux, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for Combined NHS Trust, says:
“We are really excited to be launching the NHS See ME First Badges, giving a visible symbol of individual commitment to race inclusion in the same way that our NHS Rainbow Badges do for LGBT+ inclusion. Wearers of the badge are committed to standing up for race equity and inclusion in the course of their work, for both service users and fellow health and care workers.
We hope that by having this scheme we will encourage people to have constructively challenging conversations about race and also that we will signal people who are receptive to being a listening ear for people experiencing difficulties that they believe are rooted in racial bias and/or racism, and able to signpost them to support or further assistance as appropriate.”
Badge wearers are not expected to be knowledgeable about all aspects of race inclusion, nor to solve all issues and concerns raised with them, but they are expected to be available to listen and know how to signpost appropriately.
Staff members that would like to know more can contact diversity@combined.nhs.uk who will be able to provide more information and share the link for making the See ME First pledge.
