Inclusivity recognition for helping people take positive step into work
A team at a local healthcare trust has received a national accolade for their work in helping people with experience of the criminal justice system to get back into work.
Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust’s Liaison and Diversion team, and the Reconnect Service, have been jointly awarded ‘Bronze Status’ by the Lived Experience Charter for their positive work to create an inclusive and representative workforce at NHFT.
The Liaison and Diversion service identifies individuals who have mental health, learning disability, substance problems or other vulnerabilities when they first meet the criminal justice system and the Reconnect Service supports vulnerable individuals leaving prison. Together, both teams are helping individuals to make positive changes to their lives.
The award acknowledges the work by NHFT to help local people with lived experience of the criminal justice system find appropriate employment at the Trust, and begin a more positive and supported stage of their lives.
NHFT’s success reflects a wider NHS England campaign to increase the number of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system working in health and justice roles.
The Lived Experience Charter, which is led by Career Matters and commissioned by NHS England, recognises organisations which demonstrate quality standards, best practices, and a commitment to improving the inclusive recruitment and retention practices of people with lived experience.
The award means NHFT has:
- Demonstrated a commitment to employing people with lived experience
- Provided opportunities for people with lived experience
- Demonstrated and implemented the Lived Experience Charter values, standards and practices
Anthony Begley, Service Manager for the Criminal Justice Pathway at NHFT, said: “I am proud of the teams; as part of the application process we reviewed our current approach to the recruitment of people with lived experience. We have been assessed by a trained, multi-disciplinary team of people with lived experience, and health and justice organisations to gain this Charter status. We are now part of a community of good practice with wider Lived Experience Charter sites. For me this is all part of ensuring we have an inclusive and representative workforce and which is aligned with the NHS People Plan, and sets out ways of working closely with regional colleagues, providers and people with lived experience, to identify the barriers to recruitment and consider support measures which will encourage people to consider health and justice as a career pathway. I am delighted with where we are, and we have ambitions to achieve ‘silver’ status in 2025 and ‘gold’ by 2026.”
NHFT managers Tanya Browne, from Reconnect, and Rachael Blundred from the Liaison and Diversion team travelled down to London on 27 March 2024 to pick up the award, along with other successful organisations, at the Lived Experience Charter Awards ceremony.
Hannah Kirkbride, Director, Career Matters said: “The Lived Experience Charter was co-designed with people with lived experience. The project has supported 52 organisations to review their policies, practices and environments to better support the inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and/or the care system. It has been an incredible process that has increased job opportunities, influenced policy change and brought awareness of the barriers these communities face.”
Kevin Heffernan Implementation Manager NHSE National Health and Justice Team said at the ceremony: “Congratulations to all participants in this project. Championing the inclusion, development and sustainability of our Lived Experience workforce will ultimately help us collectively move closer to being the best we can be together.”
Find out more about the Lived Experience Charter at www.career-matters.org/lived-experience-charter
Pictured: Tanya Browne Reconnect Team Leader and (right) Rachael Blundred, NHFT's Liaison and Diversion Team Leader