Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust is welcoming members of the public to attend its January Board meeting, which will be held on Thursday 25 January.

This month, the Board will share an update on its equality, diversity and inclusion workforce strategy. This document sets out the Trust’s commitment to developing and maintaining a diverse workforce which reflects the communities it serves. The strategy builds on the work that has already been done to support Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff which includes the creation of a BME staff network and ensuring staff feedback about their experiences working for the Trust is used to shape positive change.

The new strategy expands this further to support for staff groups with protected characteristics; these are personal characteristics which are protected by law, and include age, race, gender and disability. The strategy aims to create an inclusive culture across all areas of the organisation. At the Board meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to hear the Trust’s plans to implement the new approach.

The Trust’s Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Sandra Knight, said: “The Trust aims to foster a diverse workforce that reflects the local population and delivers services that meet the local community’s needs. We know that when staff feel listened to and supported, they are more able to do their work with confidence, and this enables us to better support our service users and their families.”

People attending the Board meeting will also hear from the Trust’s Primary Care Wellbeing Service, a team of mixed healthcare professionals which works with GPs across the district to support people with long-term physical or mental health conditions. Patients can be referred to this service by their GP, and can benefit from a range of therapies including psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics.

The meeting is open to all members of the public and will take place on Thursday 25 January, 1:30pm to 4:00pm, in New Mill, Victoria Road, Saltaire, BD18 3LD. For more details about the Board meeting, please call Ritta Harrison on 01274 363430 or email rita.harrison@bdct.nhs.uk.