For goal 1, we plan to:
- Survey staff and public members about their personal characteristics (including age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and ethnicity). Use guidance from Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Health and Science [1], the NIHR and the KCH EDI team in survey development.
The KCH EDI team's work on the 'King's Model' to support ethnically diverse research recruitment will be particularly helpful. We will do this by the end of 2023, then collect data annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead, Communications Officer, and CRF Manager)
Key outcomes: To address barriers relevant to underrepresented groups identified in the surveys, and to share learnings and work with the KCH EDI team.
Success criteria: 2024 surveys demonstrate more diversity within staff and public members. Learnings are shared and working relationship strengthened with KCH EDI team and progress is shared from the 'King's Model' work, and 2024 surveys are adapted as a result. - Set up a dedicated EDI section on our website. Diversity monitoring data and reports to be hosted here. We will do this by mid 2024. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Communications Officer)
Key outcomes: To develop a regularly updated and engaging EDI section of the website.
Success criteria: EDI section of the website is live and regularly updated. Diversity reports are uploaded. - Introduce question(s) on our application form that asks a) how the proposed research plans to address health inequalities b) About the diversity of research participants and the research team. We will do this by early 2023, then collect data annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Data Manager)
Key outcomes: To review the diversity of participants and research teams, and to monitor health inequalities information within application forms.
Success criteria: Research teams are representative of local populations. Research teams consider and acknowledge how their research addresses health inequalities.
For goal 2, we plan to:
- Adapt the KCH Equality Risk Assessment Form to help us ensure communications, practices, events, and decision-making processes are fair and do not present barriers to participation or disadvantage any protected groups from participation. Intersectionality to be considered within these assessments. See Appendix 1. We will do this by the end of 2023. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Communications Officer)
Key outcomes: To adapt a user-friendly Equality Risk Assessment Form which is stored on our electronic system (Q-Pulse) alongside other forms and policies. This system is accessible to all staff.
Success criteria: Equality Risk Assessment Form is used, and strategies are put in place to mitigate against any issues. - Review the accessibility of the King’s CRF website. Make use of the new NIHR guide to creating inclusive language and content, once this has been published. We will do this by early 2025. (Responsible individual: Communications Officer)
Key outcomes: To review the simplicity of the content and the ability to zoom in on content, and to review the number of PDF documents (as these are not fully accessible to all screen readers).
Success criteria: The website is accessible, with a good readability score, and content appropriate for screen readers. - Participate in national networking around Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion to learn best practice and share resources (including around inclusive communications). We will do this by mid 2024. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead, Communications Officer, and CRF Manager)
Success criteria: Working partnerships and relationships established with national EDI-forward organisations. Library of resources established.
For goal 3, we plan to:
- In collaboration with the KCH EDI team, introduce a training needs survey for our staff to understand what training and resources are required to build confidence in EDI. We will do this by the end of 2023, then annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Communications Officer)
Key outcomes: To review the specific EDI training needs of our staff.
Success criteria: Understanding of staff training needs used to develop plans for training sessions. - In collaboration with the KCH EDI team, set-up a staff network/interest group on EDI. The Chair of the network/interest group will also sit on the Research Health Inequalities Group. We will do this by the end of 2024. (Responsible individual: CRF Manager)
Key outcomes: Network to promote relevant opportunities, and to be involved in further EDI strategy work once this strategy has come to an end.
Success criteria: Up to 5 staff members involved in the network/interest group. Regular staff network/interest group meetings arranged and attended (by at least 3 members). Learnings and resources are shared between the staff network/interest group and the Research Health Inequalities Group. - Identify opportunities to join and promote relevant awareness days and weeks (e.g., Race Equality Week). Use the KCH EDI annual Inclusion Calendar for this. We will do this by early 2023, then annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead, Communications Officer)
Key outcomes: Awareness days are announced in the team morning meeting and event invites cascaded to all staff.
Success criteria: Staff know about the awareness days and attend related events. KCH EDI annual Inclusion Calendar highlighted and shared with staff. - Participate in local networking, and promote events and training run e.g., by the KCH EDI team. We will do this by mid 2023, then ongoingly. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead, Communications Officer, and CRF Manager)
Key outcomes: EDI added to the induction process with information about key contacts, and key events/training included.
Success criteria: Staff know about the KCH EDI team and are kept informed of local events and training. - Invite external diversity consultancy, such as EW Group [2], to deliver relevant in-person or e-learning training dependent on survey results (possible topics include e.g., unconscious bias, active bystanders, bullying, and harassment). We will do this by the end of 2023, then annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and CRF Manager)
Key outcomes: To offer relevant and high-quality training for all staff to improve their confidence and competence in EDI.
Success criteria: EDI training is held annually and attended by >90% of CRF staff.
For goal 4, we plan to:
- Publish diversity monitoring data and relevant reports. We will do this by early 2024, then annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Communications Officer)
Success criteria: Diversity reports are uploaded onto the EDI section of the website. Reports and learnings are shared with all our staff via email. - Publish Equality Risk Assessment Forms. We will do this by the end of 2023, then annually. (Responsible individuals: PPIE Lead and Communications Officer)
Success criteria: Equality Risk Assessment Forms are uploaded onto the EDI section of the website. Assessments and learnings are shared with all staff via email. - Monitor and reflect on progress with specific EDI activities and events through use of evaluation forms. We will do this annually. (Responsible individual: PPIE Lead)
Key outcomes: Run evaluations of each activity and event held
Success criteria: Evaluations demonstrate that activities and events are successful. Improvements made to subsequent events based on feedback. Learnings are compiled and reported.
Whilst this strategy does not cover Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in depth, there is overlap between our plans for both EDI and PPI. For instance, in our PPI strategy, we outline how we plan to:
- Engage with education and young people: we will continue to work with local schools to offer work experience and/or open days for GCSE and A-level students. We will also offer internships for young adults with a learning disability and autism or both via partnering with DFN Project SEARCH [3]. We will do this by early 2023, then annually. Elka Giemza, CRF Manager, will be responsible for maintaining the working relationship with DFN Project Search.
[3] https://www.dfnprojectsearch.org/
To view the acronyms written out in full, please visit the 'acronyms' section of the strategy by clicking here
