This Group continues to take an active lead in taking forward a strategic approach to equality.Helen Kelly, Director of Human Resources and DrIshaq Abu Arafeh, Chair, Central Scotland Racial Equality Council jointly chairs it.It meets on a quarterly basis.
The group oversees the implementation of NHS Forth Valley's equality and diversity action plans and schemes and is a mechanism for performance management. As well as involving members of staff from within NHS Forth Valley, this group includes volunteer advisers from local communities. These advisers have knowledge of the issues and concerns of people from diverse backgrounds and a keen sense of equality and social justice. In addition, there are representatives from our partner organisations: Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk Councils, Central Scotland Racial Equality Council, Central Scotland Police and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Following the advertising campaign, a successful event was held on 24 November 2008, bringing together current and prospective volunteers and NHS Forth Valley staff in a relaxed and relatively informal way to generate interest in broadening membership of the Fair for All Group. This had resulted in a successful recruitment drive, culminating in ten new Volunteer Advisers.
An event held with the members of the FFA Development Group was held in June 2009, to revise their current role and remit and actions to be taken forward in the forthcoming years. This facilitated session was based on needs identified by the group for discussion and 'key themes' emerging from the session were collated and developed into an action plan for discussion. Further work completed in 2009/10 on priorities identified has been aprogramme of Equality and Diversity training for volunteers developed along with Lay Advisors in Central Scotland Police. These events have proven to be a success and we look forward to working with partners in 2010 in arranging similar sessions.