Friday 16th August 2013 – 11.30am – Steve Parry.
West Midlands Ambulance Service has unveiled its Staff Equality Ambassadors at a launch organised at the Waterfront Business Park in Brierley Hill yesterday.
The Trust is developing its services around the needs and preferences of patients and aims to eliminate inequalities in both patient experience and health outcomes. The support of over twenty staff ambassadors will further enhance the Trust’s equality and diversity ambitions.
Speaking about the new scheme, WMAS Chairman, Sir Graham Meldrum, WMAS, said, “Promoting equality and respecting peoples differences is an integral part of the way our Trust conducts its business. The Ambassadors represent a significant step forward in providing a focus through which the Trust can actively promote and develop an understanding of equality, diversity and multiculturalism both within and outside our organisation.”
The ambassadors all work in various roles in the trust and have volunteered their own time to promote the Trust’s equality and diversity initiatives. Staff ambassador and management accountant, Simon Hill based at Upper Deck House on Waterfront Business Park, said: “WMAS is getting a grip on inequality, but there is more work to do and hopefully the ambassadors can help to ensure all individuals are included and issues around inequality are addressed.”
The launch was also attended by Dr Habib Naqvi Senior Equality Manager, NHS England. Yvonne Coghill, Inclusion Lead NHS Leadership Academy was also a guest speaker at the event, and provided an inspirational speech to the Ambassadors.
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Editor Notes:
(Photo on the website: l/R Sir Graham Meldrum, WMAS Chair with Staff Ambassadors Michaela Smith Paramedic Clinical Team Mentor from Bromsgrove; Simon Hill and Adam Joynes Paramedic Clinical Team Mentor from Bromsgrove)