Published on: 24th January 2017
The Trust has received national recognition for its growing reputation as one the most inclusive workforces in the county.
LPFT has risen an impressive fourteen places in the Workplace Equality Index (WEI) to 110th position, in only their seventh year of competition – despite a record number of 439 entries.
The WEI is sponsored by the national equality charity Stonewall and is widely acknowledged as Britain’s leading tool for employers to measure their efforts to tackle discrimination and create fairer workplaces for all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT+) employees
Sophie Ford, Equality and Diversity Lead, who coordinates the Trust’s submission said:
This is a massive achievement for the Trust and our year-on-year improvements demonstrate just how important LGBT+ equality and inclusion are within the Trust’s values.
The Trust has continued to improve its overall score year-on-year and Associate Director of Nursing and Quality, Zoë Rowe believes the result reinforces the Trust’s leading position as an equal opportunities employer.
It is a credit to every worker within the Trust that LPFT has again improved its position within the Stonewall Workplace Index,
added Zoë, who is also a Senior Visible LGBT+ Leader.
Without absolute commitment from our Chair, CEO, Exec Sponsor and Board through to all those working across Trust services, we could not achieve this. I am proud that we are an employer that truly values the diversity of its workforce and of its communities. The ranking improvement signals our Trust is a safe place to be yourself and to achieve your very best.
LPFT were the NHS only representatives from Lincolnshire in the Index and Director of Finance and Information, Karen Brown is keen to see the Trust continue to improve opportunities throughout the organisation and beyond to really make Lincolnshire an inclusive place to live and work.
Karen, who is also an Executive sponsor of the LGBT+ staff network said:
I am delighted with the improved position of LPFT in the Stonewall index. As the executive sponsor and ally for LGBT+, I am fully committed to ensuring our staff feel they are safe to be themselves at work, and that our patients feel they are safe as well. I look forward to building on this solid footing and pledge to continue to support our aspirations of further improvement over the next year.
