Trust reaffirms commitment to inclusivity

East Cheshire NHS Trust has received re-accreditation as a Disability Confident Leader for another three years.

The accreditation marks a milestone in the Trust’s commitment to promoting equality, celebrating diversity and building an inclusive culture for staff and patients.

Recognition as a Disability Confident leader reflects the highest level of accreditation within the Disability Confident scheme, reserved for those organisations and employers who can clearly demonstrate they are a champion for Disability Confident within their local community.

Jake Mairs, Director for Equity Diversity and Inclusion at East Cheshire NHS Trust said: “This significant milestone shows our sustained commitment to foster a culture of inclusion within our organisation for colleagues who have a disability or long-term health condition.   

“As a Disability Confident Leader, we have to keep pressing forward, so this reaccreditation whilst welcome, is just another step and progress against our broader Equity Diversity and Inclusion plan.  

“The coming year will see us commission an independent accessibility audit on the Trust’s recruitment processes as well as strengthening the role and visibility of the Trust’s Disabled and Carers staff network.”

Validated by Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital, Disability Confident is a scheme operated by Department for Works and Pensions and seeks to encourage employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. 

Andrew Healey, EDI Manager, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital who chaired the panel validating the submission for reaccreditation, added: “I was really impressed with the work done at a senior level to support the Trust’s EDI initiatives and the commitment that the whole application displayed to improving the experiences of your disabled workforce and community.”