Question reference: S5W-10446
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 24 July 2017
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Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action each NHS board is taking to increase the (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) development of black and minority ethnic (BME) people in its workforce.
Answer
The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland actively promote the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups within the NHS workforce; this is underpinned by fair and inclusive recruitment policies, supported by clear and unequivocal Staff Governance Standards.
Our nationally agreed Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy “Embracing Equality, Diversity and Human Rights” was published in December 2013 (available at http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2013/12/3747). This policy, developed in partnership with NHS Boards and employee representatives, is explicitly designed to further embed a culture that promotes equality and values diversity.
More broadly, the Scottish Government is committed to showing leadership in advancing race equality in Scotland. Through the Race Equality Framework we are taking forward a series of actions that seek to eradicate the barriers faced by people from minority ethnic backgrounds. This includes specific actions to increase BME participation in the health and social care workforces, and requires Health Boards to provide relevant equality and diversity training for their staff.