Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Work
A shared foundation for all our development opportunities
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
At Nottinghamshire Alliance Training Hub (NATH), Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is central to everything we do. We believe that an inclusive workforce is essential to delivering high-quality, person‑centred care and to sustaining Primary and Community Care across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Our EDI work focuses on ensuring fair access to education, training, placements and workforce development, while supporting staff to develop the skills and confidence needed to meet the diverse needs of local communities.
Why it matters: Inclusive learning environments support workforce wellbeing, improve retention, and help ensure Primary and Community Care reflects and serves its population effectively.
We value collaboration and feedback. Contact us if you would like to:
Suggest a training topic or area of focus
Get involved in EDI related activity
Share feedback or ideas to help remove barriers
Our approach is proportionate, evidence informed and focused on real‑world impact
What we mean by EDI
For NATH, EDI means taking practical action to remove barriers and create fair opportunities. It includes:
Designing education that is accessible, inclusive and relevant
Supporting diverse career pathways and progression
Recognising that people’s experiences may differ depending on background, role or circumstance
Embedding fairness, transparency and respect into everyday delivery
Our key commitments
We are committed to:
Embedding EDI across all NATH education, training and workforce programmes
Delivering learning that supports reduction of health inequalities
Expanding inclusive placement and learning environments
Supporting educators and supervisors, particularly in under‑represented roles
Demonstrating the impact of our EDI work through evaluation and reporting
What you can expect from us
When you engage with NATH, you can expect:
Accessible and inclusive learning opportunities
Clear information about adjustments and support
Respectful, supportive learning environments
Opportunities to share feedback and influence future delivery
Embed EDI within your organisation
Our equality impact analysis work has culminated in a free resource, accessible to all in Primary Care. This is designed to equip Practice Managers and Primary Care Network (PCN) Managers with the knowledge they need to understand protected characteristics and why EDI is important in relation to staff retention, patient satisfaction and Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Learn from how we have embedded EDI at NATH
We believe EDI works best when it’s built into everyday practice. We want to share practical actions we’ve embedded across our work to remove barriers, widen participation and support an inclusive Primary and Community Care workforce. Many of these are quick and easy to replicate.
Inclusive events
Accessible learning and information
Fair and thoughtful use of data
Inclusive training and development
Everyday culture, wellbeing and representation
Accessible digital communications
We've incorporated EDI into our core values
Inclusive
We celebrate and actively engage, support and develop all Notts Primary Care individualisms.
We challenge anyone when we feel there’s exclusion or barriers to remove. We recognise, listen to and learn about people’s differences and needs with respectful curiosity and keep adjusting our processes for easy access and equity.
Behaviours
We’re curious and unafraid to ask about different cultures, beliefs, histories, interests and access needs to provide equity of access.
We enable everyone to join in and share ideas using interactive methods, giving them a respected voice at the table.
We’re active bystanders, safely challenging discrimination using the 4Ds: direct, distract, delegate, or delay.
We’re open to feedback and tough conversations when our actions feel unwelcoming. We form allyships and co-produce new solutions.
We’re mindful of language, jokes, and behaviours that may exclude or offend. We keep messages clear, respectful, and easy to understand.
We value and seek input from those with lived experience of access barriers, sharing their feedback and solutions in Project Highlight Reports.
We review barriers to our services across protected characteristics, taking action through our Equality Impact Assessment.
We know not everyone has access to IT, systems, or the skills to use them, so we offer multiple ways to connect and be contacted.
We design online and in-person learning to suit different styles and access needs, and provide alternative formats when needed.
We aim to shift the culture around accessing education by giving time and space to learn, involving the workforce before big changes.
What we are doing at NATH
The NATH team has worked with ED&I specialist, Cavita Chapman, who led Equality for NHS England and Health Education England over the past five years. We have completed an equality impact analysis on our workstreams to support our team in making them as accessible as possible.
We are collaborating with local system leaders to offer support and training to Practice Managers across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to help shape their practice culture.
We want every one of our colleagues to be treated fairly and with respect. We want our colleagues to fulfil their potential and be able to access all the opportunities offered by us.
Our Golden Thread Podcast
Having scoped what work had already been done in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we created our podcast series to provide a central place for discussions and a safe space to give a voice to those who may not feel comfortable speaking out.
The series will give Primary Care colleagues a place to talk about their lived experiences with protected characteristics and intersectionality, improving representation and acting as a learning tool.
Each podcast can be used as a resource for training and education within practices with signposts to additional related resources.
Celebrating PRIDE
In this series we discuss:
PRIDE and its importance to the LGBTQIA+ community
What does community mean in the context of LGBTQIA+
What does LGBTQIA+ terminology mean to different people
The impact of technology on different communities
How to make Primary Care a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ communities and ensuring their health needs are met
Who do we need to influence to make positive change and what is allyship
Please find a useful list of resources for you to use personally and in your practices to help improve understanding around some of the issues we discuss:
In The Pink: A Practical Guide for GPs and Healthcare Professionals: Delivering Quality Care and Promoting Equality for LGBTQIA+ People (PDF download).
Nottingham & Notts ICS LGBTQ+ System Voice guides: 'Gender vs Sexuality', 'We all have pronouns', 'LGBTQIA+ Dictionary' and 'Why do Pronouns Matter?'.
LTBGQ History Quiz - Test your knowledge with our downloadable resource.
Stonewall provide information, support and guidance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Galop is the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity. They work with and for LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence.
Gendered Intelligence is a registered charity that exists to increase understandings of gender diversity and improve trans people's quality of life.
Medway Gender Sexual Diversity (MGSD) Centre provides services for LGBTQI+ people.
Breastfeeding and returning to work in Primary Care
In this series, host, Dr. Errum Mumtaz is joined by guests, Dr. Kirran Bilkhu (Return to Work Scheme Lead at Phoenix Programme) and Dr. Jennifer Moss Langfield (GP Medical Director, Notts ICS CDA GP lead for maternity and CYP) to discuss issues including:
Approaching the return to work as a breastfeeding employee
Bringing your whole self to work as a breastfeeding employee
The experiences of breastfeeding employees across the NHS
What does the 'law' entitle you to as a breastfeeding employee?
Resources mentioned in the podcast, including useful information such as practical considerations and legal requirements, can be found below:
Breastfeeding and Return to Work (Dr. Kirran Bilkhu, Return to Work, Phoenix Programme)
Black History Month 2023 Saluting Our Sisters
Host, Errum Mumtaz is joined by
guests, Lucy Dadge, Elizabeth Andam, Elizabeth Boaheng, Idah Nzuma and Hashiat Sambo to reflect on the Black History Month 2023 theme of 'Saluting Our Sisters'.
Topics covered include:
Women have have inspired us
Working twice as hard to get half as far
Tackling imposter syndrome
The art of being kindly curious
Holding the door open.
ED&I Events
From May 2023 we have held events to celebrate our diversity:
Working collaboratively with our partners in the ICS
We aim to understand the wider ED&I culture across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, through sensitive workforce data collection and active listening.
We will work with our provider colleagues to address the findings of the Racism and Discrimination Survey Report 2022 undertaken by the RED (Racial Equity and Diversity) Group in 21/22. We will support the RED Group to further the conversation and enact recommendations.
We are working with the ICS to create an ICS Women’s Network.
Women's Networks play a vital role in supporting professional development, addressing gender-specific challenges, promoting equity, enhancing patient care, fostering community, and influencing policy. These networks contribute to creating a more inclusive, supportive, and effective healthcare system. NATH working with our ICS ED&I lead and colleagues across the system have come together to scope and develop the first Women's network to support Primary and Secondary Care in Nottinghamshire.
Why we think it is important:
Mentorship and Guidance: Women's networks offer mentorship opportunities, allowing experienced professionals to guide and support those new to the field.
Career Advancement: The network would help identify and promote leadership opportunities for women, ensuring that they are represented at all levels of decision-making within the NHS.
Work-Life Balance: Women in Primary Care often face unique challenges related to work-life balance, including maternity leave and childcare responsibilities. The network would advocate for policies and practices that support flexible working arrangements and parental leave.
Gender-Specific Health Concerns: The network would provide a platform to address and discuss gender-specific health concerns, both for patients and healthcare providers, promoting better understanding and treatment options.
Advocacy for Fair Treatment: the network would advocate for fair treatment and equal opportunities within the NHS, addressing issues such as pay gaps, harassment, and discrimination.
Leadership Development: By providing the opportunity for women to take on leadership roles within the network, women can gain experience and visibility that may translate to broader leadership positions within our NHS.
We hope you agree with all the benefits and be part in shaping the network you want to be part of by completing our survey.
We have worked with Nottingham Deaf Society to host 2 events to give Primary Care colleagues free BSL training and integrate deaf awareness in Primary Care.
We will endeavour to ensure local, regional, and national learning opportunities around ED&I are shared to increase knowledge and understanding of the local workforce.
We hope to continue working hand in hand with Integrated Care System (ICS) and Integrated Care Board (ICB) partners to shape the wider ED&I Strategy and Priorities.
Inclusive employers
We have signed up to be an Inclusive Employer, joining thousands of people worldwide as we follow the 2023 National Inclusion Week theme: ‘Take Action Make Impact’ #TakeActionMakeImpact. It's free to sign up and there are lots of resources available to use within your Practice.
Supporting Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Primary Care workforce development
We work to provide inclusive training, learning and development opportunities by actively listening to our Primary Care staff, reviewing our Training Needs Analysis results and continually improving access to our services to all staff. Our aim is to provide courses that are open to everyone in terms of funding, timing, and delivery options, to have the maximal impact on our workforce.
Our range of training events include:
E-learning
Face-to-face events
Remote courses and learning events
Seminars
Workshops
Wherever we can, we record these events and put them on our YouTube channel for individuals to access in their own time.
We provide access to education funds to support the upskilling of staff, enabling them to respond to local population health needs. We monitor uptake and ensure as many people as possible can access these opportunities.
We work with schools, colleges, and Higher Education Institutes to support student placements and apprenticeships to develop routes into Primary Care careers for all. We will work with partners and those we commission for training to support them to incorporate ED&I issues (including differential attainment), into their delivery to enable learners to thrive and develop.
ED&I Networks
Local Networks:
Neurodiversity - to join email,
ICS Women's Network - to join email, Errum Mumtaz, Janine Elson or Rebecca Barker and share your thoughts by completing our survey here.
National Networks:
BME Leadership Network - strengthening the voice of NHS black and minority ethnic (BME) leaders and to support NHS organisations to meet the needs of all communities.
Visible Leaders Network - for BME staff leaders and aspiring leaders in Primary and Secondary Care. It is designed to support your personal progression to senior level roles within the NHS.
Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Network - offers members the opportunity to champion a quality improvement approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Meetings usually take place monthly on the third Tuesday, 10.00-11.30. Email england.healthinequalities@nhs.net to register your interest.
Useful Links
Useful Resources For Fasting Patients During Ramadan
Are you signed-up to our BRAND NEW Loyalty Scheme for 2026/27?
Join your peers across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and take charge of your professional development through our new BINGO style loyalty cards. Complete all 25 development activities to be in with a chance to receive a £250 voucher!
You’ll be surprised at how many you can already mark off as done to help get that full-house. If you attend one of our EDI events, you can then stamp off another one!
