Staff & Recruitment

To find out more about Fellowships at Canniesburn, please visit the Clinical Placement with NHSGGC webpage for more information.

Preparation

To get the most out of the programme please be ready to discuss your current practice. You will be asked to reflect on recent experiences and to plan activities relating to one or more of the key themes.

With each of the four topic areas we will begin by introducing current models and ideas and then go on to explore how you can apply these in your day-to-day role.

Topics covered

Put learning into practice

Although there will be no assignment or project work it is still vital that you think about how you will make use of learning from the programme.

• Identify personal and service objectives with your manager before booking a place
• Be prepared to share examples and try out tools and techniques during the programme
• You will be asked to support evaluation of the programme which will give you the opportunity to reflect and comment on how you have applied learning back in your workplace.

Specifically you should consider:

• Key personal learning points
• Any immediate impact of the programme (personally and/or on the service)
• Action planning (proposed impact).

Interested in gaining accreditation for your learning?

• An option to gain accreditation through an appropriate SVQ/PDA may be available to you.
• For further information please contact the SVQ team.

Ready to book a place?

• If you want to have a chat about any aspect of the programme please contact the NHS Service Now Portal.

We have three Staff Forums and Network for BME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ staff members and their allies. These are staff led groups of employees, established to support colleagues in having their voices heard in respect of experiences working for NHSGGC.

Each Forum/Network has an appointed Chair and a growing membership of around 120 to150 people.

The invitation to join a Forum/Network is open to everyone – please click the relevant tile below to find out more about joining and becoming a member.

We are committed to supporting our staff equality groups and have named Human Resource contacts to provide consistent support, information and advice to the Chair and members, with HR specific enquires and concerns.

If you require printed copies of the Staff Forums/Network poster, please email ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

The Power of the Staff Forums And Network

Our Staff Forums and Network are inclusive, engaging and passionate, offering support, access and opportunity. Members are invited to share lived experiences if they choose, and exchange ideas and recommendations for continuous improvement. The Forums/Network enable constructive conversations and are a powerful source of influence.

• People – Supporting Individuals 
• Ownership – Inspiring Ownership
• Workforce – Connecting Colleagues
• Experiences – Sharing Experiences
• Representation & Respect – Person Centred

Our commitment is to provide a safe, inclusive and diverse workplace.

Our staff’s wellbeing sits at the centre of all that we do. We all have a part to play in making sure that we provide an inclusive environment. An environment free from discrimination, bullying and harassment, enables everyone to achieve their full potential at work.

We will address any form of discrimination, bullying or harassment, intended or accidental, through our Once For Scotland Policies.

Additional to our organisational commitment, every employee has an equal responsibility for their own actions. Your responsibility is to ensure that you act in a safe and responsible manner.

If you feel that you are being harassed, bullied or discriminated against in any way, or if you are aware of harassment, bullying, discrimination affecting others, you are supported and encouraged to raise the matter through the appropriate channels quickly, to ensure the correct action is taken.

Thank you for your continued support in ‘Growing our Great Community’.

The Black And Minority Ethnic (BME) Staff Network was established in 2018. This followed a consultation with key stakeholders about their lived experience. The Network is working closely with the Workforce Equality Group to continuously improve the workplace experience of BME staff.

If you would like to join the Network, please contact: ggc.bmestaffnetwork@nhs.scot. If you wish to join the Network’s mailing list, please be assured that your personal details will not be disclosed. You can be part of the Network anonymously. Emails sent will always be blind copied. 

You can join our Facebook NHSGGC – BAME Staff Network by contacting us, or by clicking the button below. There are some details required to verify that requests are from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) employees. Please remember that this Network is private, and confidentiality is expected from each member – this is a safe, trust-based space.

BME Staff Network Co-Chairs

Dr Sajid Farid is a Consultant Physician (Stroke Services) and was appointed as Co-Chair of the NHSGGC BME Network in August 2023. He serves as the Chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) Scottish Race Equality Forum (SREF), making him the first person of Pakistani origin to lead any branch of the BMA. His contributions to healthcare professionals from ethnic minorities are significant, as he provides support, advocacy, mentoring, and coaching. Dr Farid is a founding member of the Association of Pakistani Physicians-Surgeons and Allied Professionals Scotland and a pioneer member of BMA SREF. He is also an International Medical Graduate champion and actively supports initiatives such as Whistleblowing and the Speak Up campaign.

Mara Sese is an Operating Department Practitioner in Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Theatres Department and has worked with NHGGGC since 2013. Mara is an active member of Migrants Voice and attends the annual Scottish Women’s Convention to discuss women’s health. Mara has a strong vision to grow the Network as well as mentoring and supporting new members to actively participate. One of Mara’s key ambitions is for the Network to help support new international recruits, as they settle into their new workplaces and a new country.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk   

If you would like to join the BME Network, please email ggc.bmestaffnetwork@nhs.scot for more information. The network is for both BME members of staff and for allies.

Aims

• Provide a safe, supportive and confidential forum for sharing experiences.
•  Network and discuss identified issues that affect members of staff from BME groups.
•  Act as a platform for consultation and influence on issues impacting on the health, wellbeing and work of BME staff.
•  Facilitate opportunities for feedback on staff governance issues in relation to the experience of BME staff.

Terms of Reference

BME Network’s Terms of Reference

Meeting Dates 2024

Please contact ggc.bmestaffnetwork@nhs.scot for details on how to join.

• Wednesday 21 February from 12.00pm to 2.00pm
• Wednesday 22 May from 12.00pm to 2.00pm
• Wednesday 21 August from 12.00pm to 2.00pm
• Wednesday 27 November from 12.00pm to 2.00pm

Developing Leadership Skills Programme 2023/24

Applications for the Year 2 Leadership Skills Programme for employees from black and minority ethnic communities in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are now closed. If you would like to register your interest for future programmes, please email ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

NHSGGC BME Leadership Stories

NHSGGC continues on our journey to maximise inclusion and diversity within our workforce.

We complimented our existing portfolio of management and leadership development provision with our ‘Developing Leadership Skills’ programme specifically for Black and Minority Ethnic employees in NHSGGC.

The first programme was delivered online via MS Teams from October 2022 to March 2023. Feedback from our staff participating is detailed below. Details of our next programme feature in the ‘Developing Leadership Skills Programme 2023/24’ section above.

David Ejim

“Since completing the training, I have taken up a promotion at the NHSGGC Care Home Collaborative as a Quality Improvement Advisor, which I credit in no small part to the Programme. In addition to building my confidence to go for this post, the training helped me develop skills which I use daily in my current role. I know the BME Leadership Development Programme has enriched my practice and therefore strongly recommend it.”

Kamaljit Khalsa

“I am Dr Kamaljit Khalsa, a Consultant Medical Microbiology based at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. I have just completed the BME Leadership Development Programme run by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. The programme highlighted the value of diversity and equality within team settings. By networking and engaging with people from across the whole organisation it was useful to hear about some of the struggles and challenges faced including unconscious bias. Going forward we built on some common goals, ideas and aspirations. The small accountability groups enabled us to engage and gain support from one another. I would highly recommend this programme and feel it has improved my confidence, leadership skills and realised the importance of looking oneself.”

Dr Esther Azi

“I am Esther Azi, a Specialty Doctor with the West of Scotland Sexual Assault Response Co-ordination Services (SARCS). I was privileged to be part of the pioneer cohort that underwent the BME Leadership Development Programme.

I must say it was a rich and well packaged programme. From the brilliant facilitator Gillian Neish, the amazing colleagues from NHSGGC, I met and interacted with over six months from all disciplines and cadres, to the guest speakers with lived experiences and huge wealth of knowledge.

The programmed spanned six months, it was well spaced out and the virtual component allowed for flexibility. The break out sessions made it quite engaging and stimulating and the blend of reflective writing, oral presentations and life hacks from guest speakers made it possible for me to leave the programme with a lot of skills and confidence in approaching CV writing, interviews, leading teams and being assertive in the face of bullying or discrimination.

I particularly enjoyed the mindfulness and wellbeing moments we observed during each session, reminding us to take care of ourselves so we could give our best to our patients, the team, and the organisation at large. Joining the BME Network during the programme also meant I had on-going support after the course, as we were constantly reminded ‘support networks are their weight in gold’.

Since the programme, I have taken the initiative to lead on a project, which has made me more confident in putting forward ideas, working across different teams and be solution driven.

In all, I would highly recommend this programme for future cohorts. This would entail full participation to get the full range of tangible and intangible benefits.

Black History Month 2023

In October 2023, the BME Network celebrated Black History Month with a series of events and providing resources that support staff and are there to improve the staff experience. We look forward to working on plans for Black History Month 2024.

Black History Month – Staff Profiles

Harrison S. Salifu

“I work at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, as a General Medicine Band 5 Staff Nurse.

“My favourite thing about my job is meeting people from different parts of the world, from different cultures, at their lowest moment. This humbled me to love everyone no matter the circumstance, and provide the best of care to them. I get true life advice, especially from the older patients, on how to have a better life in Scotland.

“Good and better access to healthcare is the number one solution to current mental health issues in our society. Anything that prevents people from having access leads to serious mental health issues which also affect productivity.”

Tracyanne Grandison

“I am a respiratory clinical research nurse within the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility (GCRF). I am mainly based at Gartnavel General Hospital, but my job role can take me to any NHSGGC site as required.

“The best thing about my role is when a drug or procedure is licensed or approved for a therapeutic area, and patients comment on how much it has helped them. I am extremely proud to have been a part of the team that worked hard to gather the required data necessary for this to be possible.

“Access to healthcare matters because it empowers everyone to advocate for themselves, regardless of socio-economic status. It will be easier to engage with the more vulnerable individuals in the community, and they are more likely to access the necessary healthcare required in a timely manner.

“This can create a strong sense of community and responsibility of our health, better health outcomes, better treatment compliance and reduced healthcare costs associated with non-compliance.”

South Asian Heritage Month 2023

In August 2023, the BME Network held an event to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month. Details of this event, with photographs, can be viewed by clicking this link.

National NHS Minority Ethnic Network

NHSGGC Board and BME Staff Network are committed to supporting to the National NHS Minority Ethnic Network, established in 2021. The key work streams are:

Employment

Recruitment – Selection – Development – Career Progression

Workplace Culture

Race Conversations – Lived Experiences – Recognising Barriers – Clear Messages – Race Equality

Mental Health

Practical Advice – Signposting – Clinical Support – Targeted Communications – Governance

Annual Newsletter

In July 2023, we launched our first BME Network Newsletter which can be viewed by clicking this link. Future Newsletters will be included on this page.

Accurate employee equality data enables us to make the right provisions for our staff. Monitoring diversity at all stages of the employee journey is an important means of growing and nurturing an inclusive workplace. It enables us to ensure our staff population is a direct representation of the patient population we serve.

We collect, analyse and publish employee equality data on our staff regularly, which helps us identify gaps and improvement opportunities. Understanding the demographics of our staff, we can better support everyone.

NHSGGC collect data on ethnicity, religion, age, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. These are all protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. As an organisation committed to equality of opportunity, it is important that we hold accurate data demonstrating our diverse staff group. We adhere to GDPR, confidentiality and data protection at all times.

We use employee information anonymously to generate data. This data helps us to ensure equality of opportunity in all areas of the employee journey. It enables us to develop policies and implement initiatives which ensure progress as an equal and inclusive employer.

All Personal Sensitive Information is held securely within eESS. Any updates or changes to this type of information is held in confidence, and will not be notified to your manager, HR or anyone else using the system.

We ask and encourage you to update and maintain your personal employee equality data on eESS you can do so by following Change Personal Information – NHS Scotland eESS. This enables us to continuously improve as an equal opportunities employer. It ensure the right resources, facilities and support are available for you.

If you would like to discuss employee data and how this can benefit you and the organisation, please contact ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk  

Every stage of our employee journey reflects Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Please click these links to find out more about Recruitment and Selection, Induction, Performance, Development and Succession / Promotion.

The NHSGGC LGBTQ+ Staff Forum is a group of staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer inclusive (LGBTQ+), and our allies.

The group aims to create a safe and welcoming space for staff members within our LGBTQ+ community. We have social activities, a programme of events, and formal as well as informal meetings.

If you would like to join our Forum please complete our online Form. If you wish to join the Forum’s mailing list, please be assured that your personal details will not be disclosed. You can also be part of the LGBTQ+ Forum anonymously. Emails sent will always be blind copied.​

​The Forum has a social media presence on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) (@LgbtStaffForum). 

To find out more, you can contact us at lgbtforum@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

To find out more, you can contact us at

LGBTI Awareness Workshops

The LGBTQ+ Forum has arranged for LGBTI Awareness Workshops, which are open to all staff. The workshops will broadly cover terms and definitions, social challenges facing LGBTI people, legal rights for LGBTI people, top tips and correct language and do’s and don’ts for inclusion, ending with a Q and A. It is intended to help people gain a greater level of confidence and be less afraid of getting things wrong when dealing with or supporting LGBTI people.

These sessions commence at 10.00am and run for approximately one hour. You can register by clicking on the date you wish to attend: 26 July 2024.

The Staff Disability Forum exists to provide a support network for staff and to facilitate positive changes in the organisation. Staff engagement and feedback is vital for the organisation to work together. The Staff Disability Forum was established in 2015. 

If you would like to join our Staff Disability Forum please contact: ggc.staffdisabilityforum@ggc.scot.nhs.uk and if you wish to join the Forum’s mailing list, please be assured that your personal details will not be disclosed and you can be part of the Forum anonymously. Emails sent will always be blind copied.

The Forum has a social media presence on Facebook.

To be added to our mailing list, please email ggc.staffdisabilityforum@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

Please see the drop-down below for information about the Neurodivergent Sub-Group.

Staff Disability Forum Chair

Atika Sharma is Chair of the Staff Disability Forum and is a Learning Disability Physiotherapist within Glasgow City HSCP. Atika looks forward to continuing to grow and develop our Disability Staff Forum.

Kate Ocker is Vice-Chair of the Staff Disability Forum and is a Research Nurse, based at Gartnavel General Hospital. Kate helps to lead the Forum with commitment and determination and shares “I developed my own disability in 2005. It came out of the blue and turned my world upside down. My experiences of how I was then treated and perceived have left me with a burning passion to make sure nobody ever has to face that. Working together, we can achieve a valued, diverse workforce. I would love to see more people accessing the Staff Disability Forum for support, to contribute and above all, to make a difference. Sharing good practice is as helpful as raising concerns. You can contact in confidence, or you can join meetings and know that your voice is heard and valued.

I have been involved with the Forum since the beginning and I am delighted to see the steady growth. But there is still the need to spread the word that every voice matters. I am pleased to be stepping back as Atika takes over as Chair, with her huge compassion, energy and new perspectives. I will continue to give my support through the Forum.”

Martin Savage is also Vice-Chair of the Staff Disability Forum and is a Carers’ Information Worker within Glasgow City HSCP.

We asked some of our members for their feedback on what the Staff Forum and Networks mean to them.

See some examples below to get a feel for their value and impact:

• “The LGBTQ+ Staff Forum is a collective of likeminded individuals where we can promote and campaign for equality, inclusion and awareness.”

• “I would love to see more people accessing the Staff Disability Forum for support, to contribute and above all, to make a difference. Sharing good practice is as helpful as raising concerns. You can contact in confidence, or you can join meetings and know that your voice is heard and valued.”

• “The BME Network has provided me a safe space out with my own department where I feel heard and am able to talk about issues that affect me at work. As a consequence I have felt empowered to raise concerns and begin a journey towards influencing a real change in culture within the workplace.”

• “I joined the LGBTQ+ Staff Forum as I think visibility is really important. Growing up I didn’t see gay people in everyday life. I want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

• “Staff who are supported and allowed to work to their strengths can achieve amazing things.”

• “The Network is a really good place to share my own experiences and hear the voices of others who share my protected characteristic.”

If you have feedback to share of your experience as a Staff Forum or Network member please contact ggc.staffexperience@ggc.scot.nhs.uk