Category: Resources

  • Establishing and evaluating an anti-racism programme at the Health Innovation Network South London

    Establishing and evaluating an anti-racism programme at the Health Innovation Network South London

    In the summer of 2020, the Health Innovation Network South London (an NHS organisation in south London supporting change and innovation across the health and care sector) committed to becoming an anti-racist organisation.

    Originally catalysed by discussions within the organisation about race following the murder of George Floyd, the aims of their anti-racism programme were to:

    • Create a psychologically safe environment, increasing staff confidence in having conversations about race and racial inequality;
    • Increase staff confidence in knowing how to speak up and address concerns related to racial inequality and discrimination.

    Between 2020 and 2023, the programme worked with staff to co-design, plan and facilitate a range of staff engagement activities, as well as developing practical tools and guides to help with the implementation of anti-racism. Some of the key activities during the programme included:

    • Establishing team anti-racism champions;
    • Listening events and focus groups for staff to understand current challenges;
    • Organisation-wide and team workshops to inform organisational policy;
    • Training sessions for staff;
    • Hosting of a south London roundtable on anti-racism.

    Many of the tools originally developed during the programme are collected in their Anti-Racism Toolkit and Anti-Racism microsite.

    In summer 2023, the Health Innovation Network South London commissioned an independent evaluation of the programme. This evaluation found that:

    • The programme led to a lasting change in how staff thought about discrimination and racism;
    • There appeared to be a positive impact in terms of racially equitable recruitment and an increase in staff from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic groups;
    • The programme had led to greater confidence discussing race and racism in staff;

    The evaluation also explored the impact and experience of the programme on Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic staff at the organisation, noting that the feelings triggered by the work were complex and not universally positive.

    Want to find out more about this work? Contact the Health Innovation Network South London.

  • Co-production: resources to support anti-racist transformation projects

    Co-production: resources to support anti-racist transformation projects

    Working in equal partnership with the people and communities affected by racial health inequalities is essential to create sustainable change and improvement in health and care services and systems.

    Involving people and communities in transformation projects brings a number of benefits, including:

    • Ensuring that projects focus on the underlying cause of a problem rather than simply addressing a symptom;
    • Including the perspectives, creativity and expertise of the people most affected by inequalities;
    • Building trust and relationships with communities who have historically been poorly treated by the health and care system.

    Many health and care organisations also have a statutory requirement to involve people in change projects.

    Co-production resources

    Co-production is the term used to describe the closest form of lived experience partnership, wherein professionals and people with lived experience plan, develop and own projects together.

    “Co-production acknowledges that people with ‘lived experience’ of a particular condition are often best placed to advise on what support and services will make a positive difference to their lives. Done well, co-production helps to ground discussions in reality, and to maintain a person-centred perspective.”

    NHS England

    A growing range of strategies, templates and other resources are becoming available to support co-production, including those with a particular anti-racist focus.

    Below, we have listed some of the resources already being used by members of the Collaboration:

    With thanks to everyone who has shared resources as part of the Collaboration.

    Got a great resource you’d like to share with us? Get in touch!

  • LARCH Learning Event: Hearing Community Voices: Effective Engagement to Reduce Health Inequality

    LARCH Learning Event: Hearing Community Voices: Effective Engagement to Reduce Health Inequality

    Hearing Community Voices: Effective Engagement to Reduce Health Inequality

    Listening to the voices of those for whom services are designed and delivered is not just good practice—it’s essential. True progress requires meaningful engagement with service users, placing co-production approaches at the forefront. This event will equip organisations to move beyond the barriers of engagement, offering actionable solutions for effectively involving Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnic communities in the fight against health inequalities.

    Who is this event for?

    This event is for London based organisations working across health and care, including NHS trusts, CCGs, ICSs, local authorities, adult social care providers, public health teams, community services, charities, and voluntary groups. Whether you work in service design, delivery, or policy, it offers practical strategies to enhance co-production and ensure services meet the needs of Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnic communities.

    What is LARCH?

    The London Anti-Racism Collaboration for Health (LARCH) is a programme of activities to help the health and care sector embed an anti-racist approach to take action to address the inequalities in health that Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic Londoners experience.

    Learn more about the LARCH here: https://anti-racism.london/

    This event is taking place on January 22 at 10.30-12.30 and is the third in a series of events to provide the opportunity for organisations in health and care to explore evidence, share learning, and practice to address health inequalities. Through these events, we aim to foster a network of engaged organisations and individuals and facilitate the collective commitment to embedding anti-racist practices.

    Watch the speaker sessions from the event:

    Community participation and engagement: our current approach and a vision for the future – Rini Jones (NHS Race & Health Observatory)

    From Strategy to Reality: Co-Production for Equality – Keymn Whervin (Directors of Adass Adult Social Services)

    Anti-racism and co-production with communities – Safia Marcano (ADPH London)

    Co-production and allyship with the London Bangladeshi Community – Riyadul Karim (NHS England London)

    Trust: a centrepiece of community engagement – Lucy Morgan (The Health Policy Partnership)