South London and Maudsley sign anti-racism charter | News

Tackling racism has always been our priority and we are delighted that our trust member, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, signed anti-racism charter. They became the first NHS trust in London to sign UNISON’s anti-racism charter.   

The charter, which aims to tackle racism in the public sector, commits organisations and their leaders to having a clear and visible race equality policy as well as a programme of anti-racism initiatives such as training for all staff. 

The partnership with UNISON is the latest step by the trust in achieving its vision of leading anti-racism in mental health by 2026. 

UNISON says their charter is helping to transform public-service employers into explicitly anti-racist institutions by promoting a diverse workforce, addressing the impact of racism, and regularly reviewing improvement strategies. 

Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, David Bradley, said:

We are proud to sign UNISON’s anti-racism charter to combat race inequality in the organisation. There is no place for racism in our organisation or society. We hope this charter will help us foster a culture of respect, understanding and empathy, where every individual feels valued and empowered regardless of their race, ethnicity or background.

Sir Norman Lamb, Chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, said:

Signing the charter is just the latest step to promoting race equality in our organisation. As we continue this journey, we want to be clear that anti-racism is a priority for us, and we encourage other trusts to sign it too. 

Jo Galloway, UNISON Greater London Regional Secretary, said:

We really hope a lot of trusts follow in your footsteps and not only sign it but take the actions in it very seriously. It’s not enough to be just not racist, it’s about being actively anti-racist. 

The charter is just one part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s wider Anti-Racism Action Plan to ensure the Trust is improving the equity of experience for staff and the access and outcomes for those who use our services. 

Other actions include:  

• A review of appraisal processes to embed anti-racism 
• Introduction of an Ethnically and Culturally Diverse leadership development programme 
• New Employee Relations Time To Talk sessions developed specifically from an anti-racism perspective 

South London and Maudsley has also been leading the adoption of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework to tackle and eliminate the unacceptable racial inequalities in access, experience and outcomes faced by Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic communities and to significantly improve their trust and confidence in mental health services. Starting in 2020, the Trust was one of four pilot sites for the framework which is now mandated nationwide. 

Photo (from L to R): Michelle Davis, UNISON Branch Secretary, Norman Lamb, Chair, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, David Bradley, Chief Executive, Arleen Elson, UNISON Branch Chair and Sue Smith, Chief People’s Officer.