Equality, Inclusion, and Human Rights

The ICB has a duty under the Public Sector Equality Duty and Specific Duties and Public Authorities Regulations 2017 to publish Equality Objectives at least every four years. The ICB has a duty to consider not only the impact health services have on the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 but also a broader number of disadvantaged groups. The ICB also considers groups and communities that face particular challenges, often linked to intersectional disadvantage.

The ICB’s Equality Objectives for 2023 to 2025 are:

1.Enhance Access and Health Outcomes for Disadvantaged Communities
Proactively identify and address barriers to healthcare for communities experiencing health inequalities. Work collaboratively with patients, community groups and stakeholders to ensure equitable access to services, reduce disparities in health outcomes, access and improve patient experiences for maternity services across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

2.Foster a Diverse and Representative Workforce
Strengthen recruitment with the aim of widening access and reducing systematic barriers, ensure talent management, development and progression opportunities ensure workforce diversity at all levels within the ICB. Focus on increasing representation across ethnicity and disability to better reflect the communities we serve across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and create an inclusive and supportive working environment.

3.Develop a Culturally Competent and Inclusive Workforce
Equip staff with the knowledge, skills and confidence to foster an inclusive culture that values diversity and promotes equality. Provide ongoing training and initiatives to enhance cultural competence, empower staff to challenge discrimination and drive meaningful change in the organisation’s approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Each of these Equality Objectives has several SMART outcome measures to ensure ongoing monitoring of delivery.

View the ICB’s EDI Action Plan.

Gender Pay Gap

It is now mandatory for organisations with 250 or more employees to report annually on their gender pay gap. NHS organisations are covered by the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017.

The report demonstrates the difference between the average earnings of men and women who are directly employed, engaged by, either via agency or contracts for service by the ICB. Some self-employed individuals may also be included in the report if the ICB requires them as individuals to carry out the required work.

Reporting is on the basis of information captured on a snapshot date each year. For NHS organisations this is 31 March, with organisations required to publish their gender pay gap information by 30 March of the following year.

View the Gender Pay Gap Report for the ICB.

Ethnicity Pay Gap

It is not mandatory for organisations to report annually on their ethnicity pay gap, however the ICB has committed to publish this data.

The report uses the principles of the Gender Pay Gap reporting model and demonstrates the difference between the average earnings of the ICB’s Black and Ethnic Minority and White staff who are directly employed, engaged by, either via agency or contracts for service by the ICB. Some self-employed individuals may also be included in the report if the ICB requires them as individuals to carry out the required work.

Reporting is on the basis of information captured on a snapshot date each year. For NHS organisations this is 31 March.

View the Ethnicity Pay Gap Report for the ICB.

View the ICB’s Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap action plan.

WRES

Implementing the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) is a requirement for NHS commissioners and NHS healthcare providers.

The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard ensures that employees from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds have equal access to career opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace. NHS organisations are expected to show progress against a number of indicators of workforce equality, including a specific indicator to address the low numbers of BME board members across the organisation.

2024 Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) Highlights

• Our ethnic minority representation has remained at 10.8% compared to 26.4% nationally.
• Board representation: 90% white, 10% BME
• Relative likelihood of white candidate being appointed from shortlisting compared to BME candidate: 0.77 for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB against a national average of 1.59 for 2024.
• Percentage of staff experiencing discrimination from managers or other colleagues in the last 12 months is lower than sector average by 1.2% for BME and 6.6% for white staff.
• No BME staff have entered into a formal disciplinary process.

Key priorities:

• To improve equal opportunities for career progression.
• Reducing the experience of harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives or the public.

More information on the WRES is available here

WDES

The NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) is an NHS wide standard which enables NHS organisations to compare the workplace and career experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff.

NHS organisations use the metrics data to develop and publish an action plan.

The WDES is important, because research shows that a motivated, included and valued workforce helps to deliver high quality patient care, increased patient satisfaction and improved patient safety.

2024 Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) Highlights

• Our disabled workforce representation has increased to 6.55% compared to 4.9% nationally.
• No disabled staff have entered into a formal capability process.
• Relative likelihood of non-disabled candidates being appointed from shortlisting compared to disabled staff: 0.80 for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB against a national average of 0.99 in 2024.
• Disabled staff saying their employer has made adequate reasonable adjustments to enable them to carry out their work: 85.5% for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB against a national average of 73.4% for 2024.
• Percentage of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff feeling pressure to come to work despite not feeling well enough: 19.3% for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB against a national average of 27.7% for 2024.

Key priorities:

• To improve equal opportunities for career progression.
• Reducing the experience of discrimination from other colleagues.

More information on the WDES is available here

This statement comprises the slavery and human trafficking statement of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB (the organisation) for the financial year ending 31st March 2023 in accordance with Section 54, Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The organisation recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking and is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities.

Definition of Offences

Modern day slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour

A person commits an offence if the person:

• holds another person in slavery or servitude and the circumstances are such that the person knows or ought to know that the other person is held in slavery or servitude
• requires another person to perform forced or compulsory labour and the circumstances are such that that the person knows or ought to know that the other person is being required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Human trafficking

A person commits an offence if:

• the person arranges or facilitates the travel of another person (victim) with a view to being exploited
• it is irrelevant whether the victim consents to travel and whether the victim is an adult or a child.

Exploitation

A person is exploited if one or more of the following issues are identified in relation to the victim:

• slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour
• sexual exploitation
• removal of organs
• securing services by force, threats, and deception
• securing services from children, young people, and vulnerable persons.

Organisational Structure

As an authorised statutory body, the ICB is the lead commissioner for health care services (including acute, community, mental health, and primary care) in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business activity and in so far as is possible to holding our suppliers to account to do likewise.

Our approach

Our overall approach is governed by compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and the maintenance and development of best practice in the fields of contracting and employment. The ICB recognises safeguarding as a high priority for the organisation. To achieve this, we ensure that we have arrangements in place to provide strong leadership, vision, and direction for safeguarding. We make sure we have clear accessible policies and procedures in line with relevant legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice

The organisational structure, business, and supply chain

We have a clear line of accountability for safeguarding within the ICB. The ICB’s Chief Executive has ultimate accountability for ensuring that the health contribution to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults is discharged effectively across the whole health economy through commissioning arrangements. The Director of Nursing is the ICB’s executive lead for safeguarding and has responsibility for providing leadership and gaining assurance in relation to safeguarding issues within the ICB. The ICB employs the expertise of Designated professionals for both children and adults. These roles are an integral part of the ICB’s activity and support the delivery of the safeguarding adult and children’s agenda.

Procurement

The ICB ensures that organisations commissioned to provide services have appropriate systems that safeguard children in line with section 11 of the Children Act (2004) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), and adults in line with The Mental Capacity Act 2005, The Care Act 2014, and The Modern Slavery Act 2015. 

Business and supply chains

The ICB is committed to ensuring that there is no Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. Safe recruitment principles are adhered to which includes strict requirements in respect of identity checks, work permits and criminal records. The pay structure is derived from national collective agreements and is based on equal pay principles with rates of pay that are nationally determined. Systems are in place to encourage the reporting of concerns and through the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian.

With regards to providers and supply chains, we expect these entities to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes in place. We will use our routine contract management meetings with major providers to hold them explicitly to account for compliance with the Act and we will implement any relevant clauses contained within the Standard NHS Contract.

Contracting with providers is a core function of the ICB

The ICB is committed to social and environmental responsibility and has zero tolerance for Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Any identified concerns regarding Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking would be escalated as part of the organisational safeguarding process and in conjunction with partner agencies, such as the Local Authority and Police.

All our contracting and commissioning staff are suitably qualified and experienced in managing healthcare contracts and will receive appropriate briefings on the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act). We undertake due diligence when considering taking on new suppliers, and regularly review our existing suppliers.

Ensuring that Slavery and Human Trafficking is not taking place in its business or supply chains

The ICB aims to be as effective as possible in ensuring that modern slavery and Human Trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains by:

• Effective interagency working with local authorities, the police and third sector organisations which includes appropriate arrangements for preventing and responding to modern slavery and Human Trafficking.
• Signing up to the multi-agency policy and procedures for the protection of adults with care and support needs.
• Undertaking robust NHS employment checks and payroll systems.
• Ensuring good communication through contract management meetings, with our commissioned providers in the supply chain and their understanding of, and compliance with, our expectations in relation to the NHS terms and conditions. These conditions relate to issues including bribery, slavery, and other ethical considerations.

Staff training about Slavery and Human Trafficking

Slavery and Human Trafficking is part of the organisation’s Mandatory Safeguarding Children and Adults training programme.

This statement is made pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our organisation’s modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year.

Every year, the ICB produces an Annual Assurance Report concerning its performance against key equality metrics and outcomes, including the Public Sector Equality Duty. The latest metrics can be viewed in Annual Equality Assurance Report 2023-24.

Equality Delivery System

Implementation of the Equality Delivery System (EDS) is a requirement on both NHS commissioners and NHS providers.

The EDS is an improvement tool for patients, staff and leadersof the NHS.It supports NHS organisations in England – in active conversations with patients, public, staff, staff networks, community groups and trade unions – to review and develop their approach in addressing health inequalities through three domains: Services, Workforce and Leadership. It is driven by data, evidence, engagement, and insight.

Read our assessment on the Equality Delivery Systems domains.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB Workforce Data 2023-24

Gender split:

Religion and beliefs:

Disability:

6.4% of employees had a declared disability

16.4% did not declare

77.2% had no disability.

Sexual orientation:

Ethnicity:

Key takeaways and challenges

• The ICB has a higher proportion of female employees compared to the general population.
• Disability declaration within ICB is significantly lower than the census-reported disability rate.
• Ethnic diversity within ICB aligns closely with the Nottinghamshire region.
• A large portion of the workforce has not declared their religion or sexual orientation.

The Integrated Care System (ICS), along with Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, gather and analyse data to understand and better deliver for the populations of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. This is known as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, or JSNA.

You can find out more about the JSNA and the demographic breakdown of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s neighbourhoods and Places by visiting the following website: Nottingham and Nottinghamshire JSNA Dashboard