Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

CAF Equalities Workshop

25th March 2010

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust rated ‘Excellent’ by the Healthcare Commission in 2009 For both its Quality of Services and its Use of Resources.

This rating places the Trust amongst the highest performance in the country

We need to collect information on the following groups as a Government requirement from theMinimum Data Set

The data the Trust currently collects on all diverse groups are:

• Gender• Religion• Age• Race • Registered Disabled • Marital status• Employment and Accommodation Status

The Trust currently collects data from the following methods: • At the time of referral to the Trust

• At the time when a specialist mental health assessment is being undertaken • Review of individuals needs

• The data is then recorded and stored on the National Care Record Service (NCRS, health IT system iPM)

The data the Trust does not currently collect (because it is not a Standard requirement) are:

• Sexuality• Disability (all types)

How does the Trust manage sensitive data when collecting this from an individual who

may be unhappy providing their details? • The Trust provides effective training on Equality and Diversity to ensure each staff member are competent

in asking questions that are personalised and sensitive to the individual.

• Staff are encouraged to collect data on race, religion, gender etc to help the Trust understand the many diverse groups who contact and use mental health services in Rochdale.

Single Equalities Assessment

Trusts Plans are to:

• Develop a Disability Race Scheme• Undertake Communication & Involvement sessions to implement Single Equality Scheme

A case study example

Rochdale has a very large Pakistani community with pockets of areas that are deprived. In these areas youngAsian men and women are likely to develop a mental illness who later require MH services. In the past on thethe good will of staff, staff would often translate on the individuals behalf (because they have the skill) if theindividuals first language is not English or if the individual is unable to speak the English language. The problem would occur if Staff were not able to speak the individuals spoken language or if the staff refused to translateOn the individuals behalf because it was not in their job description.

The Equality Impact Assessment has proved useful in collecting data on ethnicity and gender as this highlighted the need to commission appropriate services that was appropriate for the population of Rochdale. ‘LanguageEmpire’ currently provides an independent translating service 24hrs a day that proved to be a crucial part ofsupporting individuals through the assessment, care plan and treatment process. Language Empire has workedwith the Trust to provide basic training on mental health issues to help interpreters to carry out their dutieseffectively.

This concept has proved to be key in providing an effective service for the diverse population of Rochdale as it reduces the complication of language barriers, cultural barriers, religion and gender issues thus individuals are given a choice of male or female interpreters that suits their cultural or religious beliefs

Why is the Trust collecting such information and what is the Trust going to do with it?

To improve on how the Trust provides services equally for anybody at the point of contact (Equality for all)

To commission services that are appropriate and meaningful for the diverse population of Rochdale with mental health needs

To identify gaps in services and local concerns in Rochdale i.e. problems with accessing services

Increase communication between communities, statutory and voluntary services to reduce the stigma of mental illness amongst all diverse groups

Educating and training staff on culture differences, religion and equality awareness of the local population it serves

END