WINS Equal at Work seminar Friday 1st September 2006

Diversity management initiatives in the health sector

Aoife O’ Riordan and Bridget McGuane

Content

Legislative and policy context of Equality

and Diversity in the health services. Health sector site of the Equal at Work Project. Managing Intercultural working in the health services.

Legislative and Policy context of Equality and Diversity in the health

services

Legislative Context

The legal framework for equal opportunities The legal framework for equal opportunities is as follows:is as follows:

The Employment Equality Act, 1998 to The Employment Equality Act, 1998 to 20042004

Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 Disability Act 2005Disability Act 2005

Employment Equality Acts 1998 - Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 20042004

The foundation for equality in the work place is theThe foundation for equality in the work place is the EmploymentEmployment EqualityEquality Acts 1998 and 2004Acts 1998 and 2004. .

The EEA prohibits discrimination and harassment on 9 The EEA prohibits discrimination and harassment on 9 grounds:grounds:

– GenderGender - Disability- Disability

– Marital statusMarital status - Race- Race

– Family statusFamily status - Membership of the Traveller- Membership of the Traveller

– Sexual orientation CommunitySexual orientation Community

– ReligionReligion - Age- Age

PromotePromotess Equality Equality ProhibitProhibitss discrimination (with some exemptions) discrimination (with some exemptions)

across nine groundsacross nine grounds ProhibitProhibitss sexual harassment and harassment sexual harassment and harassment ProhibitProhibitss victimisation victimisation RequireRequiress appropriate measures for people with appropriate measures for people with

disabilities in relation to access, participation and disabilities in relation to access, participation and training in employmenttraining in employment

AllowAllowss positive action measures to ensure full positive action measures to ensure full equality in practice across the nine grounds.equality in practice across the nine grounds.

Employment Equality Acts 1998 - Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 20042004

Employment Equality Acts - scope

Remuneration – equal payRemuneration – equal pay Access to employment – recruitment & Access to employment – recruitment &

selectionselection Conditions of employmentConditions of employment Sexual Harassment & Harassment – Sexual Harassment & Harassment –

Dignity at WorkDignity at Work

Training, work experience and promotionTraining, work experience and promotion

Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 Promotes Equality and prohibits Promotes Equality and prohibits

discrimination and harassment in relation to discrimination and harassment in relation to the provision of servicesthe provision of services

Prohibits certain kinds of discrimination (with Prohibits certain kinds of discrimination (with some exemptions) across nine groundssome exemptions) across nine grounds

Prohibits sexual harassment and harassment Prohibits sexual harassment and harassment Prohibits victimisationProhibits victimisation Requires reasonable accommodation of Requires reasonable accommodation of

people with disabilitiespeople with disabilities Allows a broad range of positive action Allows a broad range of positive action

measures.measures.

Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004

The Acts apply to people who:The Acts apply to people who:

Buy and sell a wide variety of goodsBuy and sell a wide variety of goods

Use or provide a wide range of servicesUse or provide a wide range of services

Obtain or dispose of accommodationObtain or dispose of accommodation

Attend at or are in charge of educational Attend at or are in charge of educational

establishmentsestablishments..

Disability Act 2005 The Disability Act 2005, which was enacted July The Disability Act 2005, which was enacted July

2005, 2005, is a positive action measure designed to is a positive action measure designed to advance and underpin the participation of people advance and underpin the participation of people with disabilities in everyday lifewith disabilities in everyday life. .

It eIt establishes a statutory basis forstablishes a statutory basis for:: an independent assessment of individual needs, a related an independent assessment of individual needs, a related

service statement and independent redress and service statement and independent redress and enforcement enforcement on 9 grounds.on 9 grounds.

access to public buildings, services and informationaccess to public buildings, services and information.. Sect oral Plans for six key Departments which will ensure Sect oral Plans for six key Departments which will ensure

that access for people with disabilities will become an that access for people with disabilities will become an integral part of service planning and provisionintegral part of service planning and provision..

an obligation on public bodies to be pro-active in an obligation on public bodies to be pro-active in employing people with disabilitiesemploying people with disabilities..

restricting the use of information from genetic testing for restricting the use of information from genetic testing for employment, mortgage and insurance purposesemployment, mortgage and insurance purposes..

  

Health sector wide initiatives promoted by national Equal

Opportunities/Divesity Steering Group

Context

National Health Strategy: Quality and National Health Strategy: Quality and Fairness - A Health Service forFairness - A Health Service for You ( You (2002)2002)

Action Plan for People ManagementAction Plan for People Management Commitments under Social PartnershipCommitments under Social Partnership The The National Disability StrategyNational Disability Strategy Department of Health and Children Sectoral Department of Health and Children Sectoral

Plan under Disability Act 2005Plan under Disability Act 2005

Employment Equality Act initiatives

Equal Opportunities/ Accomodating Equal Opportunities/ Accomodating Diversity Strategy and Action Plan issued in Diversity Strategy and Action Plan issued in May 2004 and covers all aspects of May 2004 and covers all aspects of employmentemployment

Mainstreaming Equality/ Diversity Training Mainstreaming Equality/ Diversity Training in health servicein health service A A Guide to Equal Opportunities / Guide to Equal Opportunities /

Accommodating DiversityAccommodating Diversity training pack training pack including guidelines for managers, video including guidelines for managers, video and CD- Rom which aim to assist and CD- Rom which aim to assist managers in discharging their obligations managers in discharging their obligations under the equality legislationunder the equality legislation

Module on Equal Opportunities in the Module on Equal Opportunities in the training programme training programme People Management People Management – The Legal Framework– The Legal Framework. .

Employment Equality Act initiatives

Develop tools to assist line managers in the Develop tools to assist line managers in the equal opportunities/ diversity aspect of equal opportunities/ diversity aspect of their people management roletheir people management role Guidelines on the Recruitment of Non-EEA Guidelines on the Recruitment of Non-EEA

Nationals under the Work Permits and Working Nationals under the Work Permits and Working Visa / Work Authorisation SchemesVisa / Work Authorisation Schemes

Guidelines on the equal opportunities aspects of Guidelines on the equal opportunities aspects of the recruitment and selection process.the recruitment and selection process.

Dignity at work/anti harassment initiativ

Dignity at Work Policy for the Health Dignity at Work Policy for the Health ServicesServices Publication and circulation of Publication and circulation of Dignity at Work Dignity at Work

Policy for Health ServicePolicy for Health Service Module on Dignity at Work in the training Module on Dignity at Work in the training

programme People Management – The Legal programme People Management – The Legal FrameworkFramework

Guidelines on the appointment and role of Guidelines on the appointment and role of Support Contact PersonsSupport Contact Persons

Disability Act initiatives

Best Practice Guidelines - Guidelines on the Best Practice Guidelines - Guidelines on the Employment of People with DisabilitiesEmployment of People with Disabilities

Development of Strategy and Action Plan Development of Strategy and Action Plan for the Employment of People with for the Employment of People with DisabilitiesDisabilities

Health sector site of the Equal at Work Project

Context of the site

Aim: To support the promotion, recruitment and progression of a diverse workforce in the

health services in the Dublin region through developing initiatives to promote equality of opportunity.

Partners: Acute hospitals: AMNCH, SJH and CHB. Primary and community: HSE Dublin North. Paediatrics hospital: CUH Temple Street. Intellectual Disability Sector: Stewart’s Hospital. HSE Corporate: HSE Employers Agency and HSE HR Section. External: NDA, Eve Enterprises and NLN

St. James’s Hospital

Aim: To ensure best practice in recruitment, selection and To ensure best practice in recruitment, selection and

progression, with particular reference to minority ethnic progression, with particular reference to minority ethnic workers.workers.

Actions: Audit of recruitment, selection and progression policies.Audit of recruitment, selection and progression policies. Review competency based interviewing.Review competency based interviewing. Programme of actions to address identified barriers.Programme of actions to address identified barriers. Process report and case study.

Progress: Audit completed. Action planning in progress at present.

Children’s University Hospital, Temple St.

Aim: To implement a model of Universal Accessibility in To implement a model of Universal Accessibility in

order to create conditions for staff with disabilities to order to create conditions for staff with disabilities to develop their potential and make a full contribution in develop their potential and make a full contribution in the workplace. the workplace.

Actions: Accessibility audit at the existing CUH campus on Accessibility audit at the existing CUH campus on

Temple Street in order to identify barriersTemple Street in order to identify barriers. . Guidance on designing new health sector buildings to Guidance on designing new health sector buildings to

ensure Universal Accessibility. ensure Universal Accessibility. Process report and case study. Process report and case study.

Progress: Audit in progress

AMNCH, Tallaght

Aim: To ensure that recruitment, selection and To ensure that recruitment, selection and

progression policies and practices at the AMNCH are progression policies and practices at the AMNCH are equality proofed in respect of older workers. equality proofed in respect of older workers.

Actions: Audit of recruitment, selection and progression Audit of recruitment, selection and progression

policies.policies. Programme of actions to address identified barriers.Programme of actions to address identified barriers. Process report and case study of tools developed Process report and case study of tools developed

and and piloted to address barriers.piloted to address barriers.

Progress: Audit and research in progress.

Stewart’s Hospital

Aim: To equality proof aTo equality proof all aspects of human resource ll aspects of human resource

managementmanagement. .

Actions: Audit of all employment practices, policies & Audit of all employment practices, policies &

procedures. procedures. Programme of actions to address barriers.Programme of actions to address barriers. Process report and case study.Process report and case study.

Progress: Review commencing.

Managing intercultural working in the health

services

Context

Skills shortages in nursing exacerbated by change in education programmes. Skills shortages in Allied Health

professions. Increased number of overseas medical students. Access of EU accession states to Irish labour market- support professions.

National initiatives- Nursing Workforce Planning Project

Concentration on statutory sector. Intercultural working aspects:

Co-ordination of recent overseas recruitment drives from India and Phillipines.

Developing best practice in integrating staff across hospitals in the statutory sector.

National Projects- National Therapy Professions Workforce Planning

Project

Physiotherapy, S&L Therapy and OT Professions.

Current effort focused on co-ordination of overseas recruitment efforts. Plans to develop implement measures

focusing on integrating an intercultural workforce.

National Development- Intercultural Strategy

National Intercultural Strategy- will need to incorporate service and employment aspects.

Report ‘Learning, training and development needs of health services staff in delivering services to members

of minority ethnic communities’. Current programme addressing capacity building of staff:

Primary, maternity, paediatric and acute settings. Includes training for staff in delivering care and

managers in managing diversity in service delivery. Report recognised the need to explore intercultural

working further- taken up by Equal Project. Potetnial to implement the outcomes of the Equal

project across other settings.

Intercultural working initiatives currently in place

Induction and Adaptation initiatives for new arrivals.

Adatpation programme for current employees- Nursing and Midwifery sector. Supervised placements. Examples of training for managers in managing intercultural teams- mainly in Nursing &

Midwifery. Preceptorship programme in Nursing & Midwifery. Some specific intercultural interventions with

teams.

Connolly Hospital and HSE Dublin North

Sites: Connolly Hospital- three wards including. HSE Dublin NE- primary/community settings and a community

nursing unit.

Aim: To ensure the effective intercultural working of staff from To ensure the effective intercultural working of staff from

culturally, ethnically and spiritually diverse backgrounds. culturally, ethnically and spiritually diverse backgrounds.

Actions: Research among multicultural staff and managers. Interviews with key external stakeholders. Profiling of current practice. International examples. Identification of key actions.

Provisional initiatives identified within the Equal Project

Recruitment/induction. Intercultual training and communication. Workplace support structures.