Category: Equality & Diversity

World Autism Acceptance Week

World Autism Acceptance Week serves as a poignant reminder to embrace the beautiful spectrum of human diversity, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Libraries like ours play a crucial role in fostering understanding and acceptance by providing books with up-to-date information on autism. We invite you to visit the library to update your knowledge on autism and participate in discussions on topics surrounding ASD. Let’s celebrate the strengths and contributions of individuals with autism while striving for a more inclusive and accepting society.

Sexual orientation and gender identity in the medical profession

British Medical Association

Source: The King’s Fund

This report has found that fewer than half (46 per cent) of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer respondents feel able to be open about their sexual orientation where they work or study. The report, based on 2,490 responses from doctors across the UK, suggests a medical workforce that still suffers from and engages in persistent negative stereotypes, derogatory language and social exclusion. It makes several recommendations around improving medical curricula, better training, increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ role models and enabling dialogue and space to learn.

To find out more click here.

Health and Care

LGBTQ+ inclusion framework

The LGBTQ+ population in the UK experiences significant physical and mental health inequalities compared with the general population. These inequalities extend from increased risk factors for ill health and barriers to accessing health care and support, to discrimination against LGBTQ+ staff within the workplace. This framework comprises six key pillars of inclusivity that organisations should aim to build to create and maintain inclusive cultures: visible leadership and confident staff; a strong knowledge base; being non-heteronormative and non-cisnormative; collecting and reporting data; listening to service users; and proactively seeking out partners to co-deliver services.

Library Newsletter

October 2022

The October edition of the Library Newsletter is now available to view here.

Please feel free to download and share with your colleagues and/or department.

If you would like to see any additional features on our newsletter or have any queries regarding information featured in this month’s newsletter, please get in touch by emailing: academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk

Institute of Health Equity

Fuel poverty, cold homes and health inequalities in the UK

Source: The King’s Fund

This report reviews the evidence on both the direct and indirect impacts of fuel poverty and cold homes on health; the inequalities in who this affects the most; and the relationship between health inequalities and climate change. It makes the case for prioritising reducing fuel poverty through policy suggestions at both the national and local level.

For more information click here.

NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard

2021 data analysis report for NHS trusts

This year’s report shows the number of BME staff at very senior manager level has almost doubled between 2020 to 2021 – up from 153 to 298. The analysis also shows the number of BME board members across all NHS trusts has increased by a quarter between 2020 and 2021, and is up by three quarters on 2018 when the data was first published. The survey also showed the NHS workforce is more diverse than at any point in NHS history, with more than 300,000 staff from a BME background – the equivalent of 22.4 per cent of all NHS staff. This is up from 18 per cent in 2017. However, despite this rise, BME staff remain underrepresented in senior positions – particularly in board executive roles. The survey also shows that 29 per cent of BME staff experienced bullying, harassment or abuse from patients last year – 3 per cent higher than white staff.

Podcast

Bookshelfie: Afua Hirsch

Source: Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast

Writer, broadcaster and bestselling author Afua Hirsch joins host Yomi Adegoke for this ‘Bookshelfie’ episode of the Women’s Prize Podcast. As well as discussing her five favourite books by women, Afua talks about finding her own role and place within her Ghanaian heritage and why she is so “passionate about children’s literature being genuinely representative and reflective of our stories”.