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Action plan and reporting

We will publish a three-year equity, diversity and belonging action plan, detailing the steps we will take towards realising our vision, by the end of January 2024. We will also publish an annual impact report on our progress and provide regular updates on our EDB-related activities in our communications.

These are some examples of the actions we are committed to over the three years of the strategy.
 

EDB strategic priority 1: Accountability and commitment

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will through our actions, oppose discrimination, demonstrate effective allyship and be transparent and accountable.

Action examples

  • Establish a support framework for staff who have experienced discrimination and harassment.
  • A member of RCOT’s Senior Leadership Team will sponsor each of the staff diversity networks to promote allyship and improve leadership visibility.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will demonstrate to the public, our staff, members, volunteers, learners and stakeholders that EDB is part of who we are and how we work.

Action example

  • Embed EDB principles in our workforce strategy.

 

EDB strategic priority 2: Effective leadership

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will model the change we want to see through our culture, policies, practices and systems.

Action examples

  • Review our policies and processes and introduce a standardised process to ensure EDB sits at the heart of everything we do.
  • Benchmark, identify, adapt and adopt good EDB practices in health care organisations and other professions across industries.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will cultivate an inclusive culture, with health and wellbeing at its heart, to reflect our organisational and professional values.

Action example

  • Create a Health and Wellbeing strategy and action plan using insights from our Health and Wellbeing staff survey.

 

EDB strategic priority 3: Diverse and thriving profession

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will work to ensure that our staff and volunteers better reflect the diversity of the UK and the communities they serve.

Action example

  • Analyse our staff and volunteer diversity data to identify gaps and under-representation and develop an action plan to address them.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will embed EDB throughout our standards and stakeholder relationships.

Action example

  • Embed EBD strategy principles to inform our pre-registration and early career standards.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will build alliances and partnerships with community groups to encourage those from historically underserved communities to see occupational therapy as a solution their needs.

Action example

  • Identify underserved communities our volunteers are working with, and work with our volunteers to explore barriers and identify how RCOT can support in addressing these.

 

EDB strategic priority 4: Learning, development and confidence

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will build our members, staff and volunteers’ understanding of EDB and develop skills and confidence to actively oppose discrimination.

Action examples

  • Carry out a learning needs’ analysis to identify current levels of EDB awareness among staff including senior leadership.
  • Develop a discrimination, allyship and advocacy toolkit for members, volunteers and staff.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will build alliances and partnerships with organisations and groups that share our priorities to support learning and increase EDB awareness of occupational therapists.

Action example

  • Identify health and social care bodies that share similar EDB priorities and work to form collaborative partnerships to share resources and expertise.

 

EDB strategic priority 5: Safe and inclusive culture

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will increase representation and celebrate diversity and in everything we do and how we communicate.

Action example

  • Proactively work to increase the numbers of our public contributors from diverse and under-represented groups to best support our work.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will assist our members, especially those from historically marginalised and under-represented communities, to be the best they can be, as their true and authentic selves, throughout their career.

Action example

  • Set up quarterly EDB meetings to share good practice among members, demonstrate allyship and offer peer-to-peer support.

 

EDB strategic priority 6: Transparency

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will share and celebrate successes and be honest about failings and things we need to change.

Action examples

  • Extensively share this strategy, its purpose, actions and accountabilities amongst members, staff and stakeholders.
  • Promote and share updates on the delivery of EDB work to all members and stakeholders.

EDB strategic aim: RCOT will understand the diverse needs of those we work with, and use a strong evidence base to provide constructive support, prioritise where and how we act, and measure our progress.

Action example

  • Redesign our process for capturing diversity characteristics so that we can collect baseline data and monitor diversity within our membership.

 

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