We are all aware of the widespread impact Coronavirus is having on our daily lives and on the care and support we provide to our patients, relatives and staff. The pandemic has affected many communities in different ways both at work and at home.

Our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) colleagues and communities have tragically been disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been recognised at a national level and an inquiry to understand why this is the case is currently underway.

As a Trust, we have already undertaken research led by the Medical and Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG), which has fed into the national inquiry. This local evidence will help us to be clear and specific on the risks for our BAME colleagues and direct our response to the support and care we need to offer to our staff and community.

We understand that this is worrying and distressful for you, and we want to do all we can to ensure you are safe and supported during this difficult time.

We have made the following commitments in advance of any national guidelines in response to the concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on BAME colleagues. These include the following four actions:

1. Listening and responding to your feedback

• It is important that as a Trust we listen, seek to understand and acknowledge the concerns and thoughts of our staff and therefore we have asked the BAME Staff Network Chairs to restart their network meetings. They will start by holding a number of virtual and socially distanced face to face meetings, where concerns, comments and suggestions can be raised, understood and acted upon
• We have established an inclusive steering group to lead on the Trust’s response in line with national guidance and any shared evidence base from our Trust and across the NHS. This group includes the following members of staff representing a range of disciplines and professional groups:
  • Byron Batten
  • Bev Baker
  • Olga Leach-Walters
  • Jennifer Pearson
  • Amelia Godson
  • Randeep Kular
  • Dr Kaveh Manavi
  • Susan Price
  • Joselle Wright
  • Natasha Stringer

2. Support aailable to you

We already have put in place a series of measures to support staff which include:

• Access to testing for staff, who show symptoms of COVID-19 or whose household members show symptoms
• A support package to assist colleagues through the various challenges of COVID-19
• Fit testing and check programme for FFP3 mask – reducing any possible risks in the use of personal protective equipment
• A multi-disciplinary case review panel for decisions making on shielding and alternative roles

And in response to this added risk, to support all our staff, we have enhanced our support to include:

• Based on recent research and evidence on the benefits of Vitamin ‘D’, we will provide all our staff with free advice and guidance

3. Individual risk assessments

• We will be undertaking a process to individually risk assess all colleagues across the Trust, starting with those who identify as BAME. We will be extending the current programme run by our Occupational Health service, which has already completed the screening for more than 600 colleagues. Where elevated risks are identified, the Trust will advise on safe working practices and utilise the advisory panel where cases require
• The programme will be led through Occupational Health, with assessments completed and managed through our usual line management structures
• These assessments will consider any home impact and vulnerability in addition to sex, demographics and any underlining health conditions and the COVID-19 risk you may be exposed to at work

This will hopefully give you assurances about your current working arrangements and will enable adjustments to be made as agreed with your line manager.

4. Support for line managers

• We will work with all our line managers over the next two to three weeks to ensure that they understand the actions we are taking to support all our staff, particularly our BAME colleagues
• We are asking our managers to have conversations with BAME colleagues as they would for all those within the vulnerable group
• We will support them to respond appropriately to the issues that arise from this work
• We encourage you to feel confident discussing any concerns you may have about COVID-19 and the impact on you and your family with your managers. You can also access the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and Confidential Contacts and your Staff side representative for confidential and independent advice

While we don’t yet have conclusive research or national guidance, we feel that this is the right thing to do. We also hope that you are comfortable sharing any concerns you have about any underlying conditions so that these can be taken into consideration when planning your work. I will be in touch with further updates as and when they occur.

“Nothing in this life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less”. Marie Curie.

Thank you for the significant contribution that you and your colleagues are making during this difficult time.

Lisa Stalley-Green, Executive Chief Nurse
On behalf of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS FT Executive Team