HSC Sector outlines pledge to promote Good Relations

The Northern Trust is committed to the promotion of good relations amongst people of different religious belief, racial group or political opinion.  During Good Relations week 2020, the five health and social care trusts and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Trust engaged online with colleagues from the Community Relations Council, the Equality Commission and service users and carers, HSC staff and Trade Unions, local Council representatives, the Patient and Client Council, the Business Services Organisation, the Public Health Agency and representative organisations to produce a consistent, clear and unequivocal statement for the HSC Sector to outline our pledge to promote Good Relations amongst everyone – our patients, service users, carers, visitors and staff.

Consensus was reached on the following statement.  The statement will be prominently displayed throughout Health and Social Care facilities in Northern Ireland to remind everyone of this important commitment.  We are officially launching this statement today on International Human Rights Day across HSCNI to assert that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and live free from abuse.

HSC Good Relations Statement

Working together we will promote good relations between people of different race, religion or political opinion.

This means that we:

• Will actively address and challenge racism and sectarianism in all its forms
• Will treat each other fairly, with respect and dignity
• Will make sure our spaces are shared, welcoming and safe.

We recognise that to give effect to this statement, it is important that it is supported by key meaningful actions to be taken forward collectively at both regional and local levels to ensure consistency of approach.

They are as follows:

• Develop a co-produced action plan to support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff working in HSC
• Launch and roll out the Regional HSC Conflict, Bullying and Harassment Policy
• Promote and communicate our Good Relations commitment – via poster and HSC Good Relations Newsletter
• Scope the possibility of introducing ethnic monitoring of HSC service users

We look forward to working with you to continue in our work to promote good relations and ensure that everyone is treated fairly with respect and dignity across all of our services and in all of our facilities.

10th December 2020