Posted on: 19 November 2020
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership has been shortlisted for two prestigious Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards. One for ‘Workforce Initiative of the Year - the working carers passport’, and the other for System Leadership Initiative of the Year for their ambition to increase leadership diversity.
A Partnership formed from the NHS, councils, independent care providers, Healthwatch and hundreds of carer and community organisations; the Partnership is working together across Bradford District and Craven; Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield.
This involves supporting 260,000 unpaid carers, including young people who care for parents and siblings.
3 million people combine caring for a loved one with paid work and each year over 2 million people have given up work at some point to care or have reduced their working hours (Office of National Statistics).
One in five of West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership’s workforce is currently balancing working and caring responsibilities.
Richard Parry, Kirklees Council, Strategic Director for Adults and Health and Co-chair of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership programme board for unpaid carers said:
‘The working carers passport is an agreement between the carer and their manager, on behalf of the organisation. The intention is for the carer to be able to manage their role alongside their caring responsibilities by implementing mutually beneficial and flexible working arrangements. This enables organisations to maintain staff retention, reduce unplanned absenteeism and to retain the valuable skills they need whilst improving staff morale and loyalty. I’m delighted that the importance of supporting unpaid carers has been recognised in the shortlist – and more delighted that carers, who are our colleagues, are getting the care and attention they deserve in the work place’.
Karen Jackson, CEO for Locala Community Partnership and also Co-chair of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership programme board for unpaid carers said:
‘Many carers worry about their ability to continue to do their job whilst feeling anxious about the impact this has on their caring role and their career prospects. Being a supportive, fair employee is essential for all involved – it brings many benefits. Having a carers working passport can give carers the reassurance they need to continue to care and to do their job, whilst helping the organisation to retain their expertise – it’s a win win approach’.
20% of 2.7million West Yorkshire and Harrogate people are from BAME communities.
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership has an ambition also to have a more diverse leadership that better reflects the broad range of talent in West Yorkshire and Harrogate, helping to ensure that the poor experiences in the workplace that are high for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities will become a thing of the past.
Helen Hirst, Chief Officer for Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group and CEO Lead for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, System Leadership Programme said:
‘We know that by having a leadership that is reflective of our communities we can improve health inequalities and outcomes for people. Working with West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership BAME network and allies from across the Partnership we have developed bespoke health and wellbeing resources for BAME colleagues, put in place a leadership and talent programme and increased their influence in decision making. The aim is to have a greater presence in senior roles which will inspire future talent from our communities now and in the future. I’m pleased this important work has been recognised. Our direction is clear - yet we have much more to do’.
Sayma Mirza, Senior Head of Collaboration for Bradford District and Craven and member of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership's BAME Network said:
‘When we see things from everyone’s perspective we are better informed and positioned to commission, design, adapt and deliver services and therefore further meet the needs of local populations. The required shift in the cultural paradigm to make this a reality will only take place if we have diverse representation at all levels in our leadership teams. The BAME Fellowship programme has been designed for exactly this purpose with a clear focus on the outcomes we want to see; a pipeline of diverse talent across our systems in decision making roles for the years to come. The programme aims to inspire people from diverse backgrounds to dream with ambition and we will work hard to make those dreams a reality. I am really excited this initiative has been shortlisted by HSJ Awards team and I look forward to the ripple effect this could have nationally’.
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership would also like to congratulate all other teams and colleagues from across the area, for their achievement in being shortlisted for the awards.
Category winners will be announced in March 2021.