A recent report revealed that only 2% of NHS trusts are chaired by people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, even though they make up 15% of British population.
But this isn’t just an issue for the NHS. Across the country black, Asian and minority ethnic workers are often struggling to make it into senior positions across all sectors. We find the same issue is mirrored in social care.
In the same way we expect a representative NHS, how can we expect our black, Asian and minority ethnic citizens to have truly person centred care if almost everyone who leads a service has no practical experience of their culture or heritage? There is work to be done here by everyone.
Skills for Care’s Moving Up leadership programme was developed in response to the recognised need to build a more representative leadership profile in the social care sector. A large number of learners on the programme are already highly skilled. They have the experience and the qualities required of their peers and have often worked in social care for many years. So why are they struggling to move upwards? And what are programmes like Moving Up giving our managers that suddenly makes them feel that they can progress?
The programme gives managers from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds the opportunity to address their personal leadership style, to form networks of peer support and increase their skills and capabilities to lead in a complex and changing environment. Based on the feedback we’ve received, managers are gaining confidence, honing the skills they already have and building networks of support.
Their mentality is shifting. No longer phased by leadership roles that don’t seem attainable to them, programmes like Moving Up are telling our black, Asian and minority ethnic managers, “You have the skills and experience to do this. So go out there and do it.” And it’s working; 60% of managers who took part in the programme in 2012 had been promoted by 2014.
Olakunbi Aiyelabola, a learner from the most recent cohort of Moving Up, cited these as her reasons. She says: “I have been so laid back and in a comfort zone thinking I am doing the best that I can do, but this course has raised my aspirations, raised my hope to let me realise I can do much more than I am doing.
“My manager told me two weeks ago that he has seen a new person in my entirely. That I am more vibrant, more confident, I can argue things confidently. I can stand up for myself. I cannot even explain how much I have gained from this wonderful journey I have been on. It has changed my whole perspective to life.”
If we want to provide quality, person-centred health and social care then we must address the issues facing our black, Asian and minority ethnic workers. Both the NHS and the social care sector recognise the importance of this, as well as the importance of shared learning, which is why we hosted a joint learning day with the NHS equivalent to Moving Up, Ready Now, in February 2016.
Change might not be happening quickly enough, but it is happening. This is an issue that is no longer just accepted or ignored, it is one that most people recognise we need to tackle so everyone, regardless of their background, can access high quality, functioning health and social care services. To serve all cultures effectively, we must include all cultures at every level of adult social care.
We’re currently accepting learners for this year’s Moving Up leadership programme. For more information, or to express your interest, please email leadership@skillsforcare.org.uk.
Content on this page is produced and controlled by Skills for Care, sponsor of the Guardian Social Care Network leadership, learning and development hub
