As part of our work in valuing difference and celebrating diversity, Chief Executives, Chairs and leadership teams across UK Ambulance Services have pledged to play a fundamental role in the achievement of positive and lasting change in stamping out racism – acting at both national and local levels.
Throughout 2022 we have featured a number of anti-racism initiatives in place right across UK ambulance services, which we are continuing throughout 2023. We have summarised them all below, and would encourage you to share this page, as well as the individual links, with your networks.
Learn more about AACE’s Key Priorities for Stamping Out Racism here.
NEAS: April 2024
In the April Spotlight on Racism feature, AACE highlight the fantastic progress made by the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), whose Positive Action Project has now reached over 10,000 people since launch.
EEAST: February 2024
In our February Spotlight on anti-racism feature, AACE are sharing an update from Tom Abell, CEO at East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST), on the progress made since signing up to the Unison Anti Racism Charter.
The Prince’s Trust: December 2023
Over the past four years The Prince’s Trust has focused on innovative ways to recruit young people to the health and social care workforce – particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds – and supported over 13,500 young people to learn more about working in the healthcare sector.
LAS: October 2023
In this testimony from third-year Student Paramedic Josh, we hear about his learning and workplace experience and the barriers he has faced during his journey.
WAST: August 2023
From Bystander to Upstander is the next phase of WAST’s Allyship Programme, which was launched in May 2023.
Paola Spiteri explains more in a short video.
EMAS: June 2023
In recognition of Volunteers’ Week we are highlighting the diversity and inclusion of our volunteer base.
This month we hear from Community First Responder (CFR) Kuldip Singh Bhele, who shares his thoughts on why he became a volunteer, the role he does and what he has gained from it.
SWASFT: April 2023
Toxic behaviour and microaggression
This April as part of AACE’s spotlight on anti-racism feature, AACE are sharing a video from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust around toxic behaviours, microaggression and racism.
AACE / IWD 2023: March 2023
International Women’s Day 2023
AACE is delighted to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day by shining a light on women of colour within the ambulance sector, four of whom share their experience in this feature.
National Ambulance LGBT+ Network: February 2023
LGBT+ History Month
Shining the spotlight on LGBT+ History Month with an introduction from Alistair Gunn, Chair of the National Ambulance LGBT+ Network, and a quick round up of things the network are doing and events you can get involved with.
AACE: January 2023
AACE’s Cultural Calendar
AACE have produced a Cultural Awareness Calendar as an aid to support ambulance service employees and volunteers in appreciating and recognising the vibrancy we see around us, and in the communities we serve.
It is interactive, with links which will take you to more information about the dates included.
Learn more and download it here.
EEAST & Unison: December 2022
Unison EEAST’s Anti Racism Charter
A closer look at Unison’s Anti Racism Charter, which commits organisations and their leaders to a raft of pledges designed to prevent all forms of conscious and unconscious racial bias.
Learn more about the work already undertaken and get a fuller understanding of the importance of this charter.
Further details are available here.
NEAS: November 2022
NEAS help to Show Racism The Red Card
The session, entitled Challenging Racism, was hosted by NEAS on behalf of NABMEF to highlight the work of Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC), the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity.
Read more and watch the video here.
ALF: October 2022
The lived experience of a former black Muslim paramedic student
At our 2022 Ambulance Leadership Forum, Hafsa Mahumud shared her reflections on being a black Muslim paramedic particularly focusing on her experiences as a student paramedic.
Hafsa’s reflections were of such importance, that we subsequently shared the first 10 minutes of the recording with the entire ALF audience prior to the conference close.
NEAS: September 2022
Marking Black History Month at NEAS
AACE and NEAS highlighted the importance of Black History Month in October and the raft of excellent resources available from the BME Forum.
NWAS: August 2022
Leadership Support Circles at NWAS: how to be inclusive in the way you lead
Leadership Support Circles are a reflective space for managers at all levels to come together in a multi-disciplinary setting to share their experiences and be heard.
Leadership support circles offer time and reflective safe space for those with responsibility for managing others.
WMAS: July 2022
Addressing unconscious bias in the workplace at WMAS
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust highlight their work addressing ‘unconscious bias in the workplace.’
Our brains naturally form biases by using knowledge of stereotypes, cultures, and other assumptions of the situation or individual. Unconscious bias is often unfair. It can be used to create labels and stereotypes about other people based on particular characteristics. It can occur in any situation, but it is commonly experienced in the workplace.
YAS: June 2022
Say Yes to Respect at Yorkshire Ambulance Service
The Say Yes to Respect initiative is an ongoing programme of work which reflects YAS’ organisational values, which include compassion and integrity, and that staff support and stand up for each other as one team.
SECAmb: May 2022
Improved Board Diversity at SECAmb
What SECAmb has done to improve Board diversity to make it more representative of the communities they serve, and how they implemented the NEXT director scheme to support talent management across the system.
How David Astley has led the work to improve the diversity of the Trust Board across both Executive and Non-Executive roles.
LAS: April 2022
Staff Network Groups at London Ambulance Service
The five Staff Network Groups at LAS exist to provide a forum for colleagues who share a protected characteristic – and their allies – to come together to support each other and to share their experiences of working for the Trust.
WAST: March 2022
The Allyship Programme at WAST
In November 2021 the Welsh Ambulance Service launched the Ally Programme to help create a more inclusive, compassionate and culturally responsible workforce in line with Strategic Equality Objectives and our culture and behaviour reset.
The programme encompasses allyship to all underrepresented groups and communities and promotes self-guided learning, reflective practice and courageous dialogue.
EEAST: February 2022
The Cultural Ambassador Programme at the East of England Ambulance Service
The Cultural Ambassador programme is made of staff from Black Minority backgrounds who have volunteered to be trained as Cultural Ambassadors.
NEAS: January 2022
The Positive Action Project at NEAS
During 2020 the North East Ambulance Service launched a Positive Action Project, targeting messaging and resources to people from a range of ethnic minority communities following a successful external funding bid.
AACE: December 2021
The inclusive uniform offer
During 2020 staff were surveyed about ambulance uniforms via individual trusts and through social media.
All responses were reviewed and an inclusive uniform offer developed which promotes inclusion for all staff.
