https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/our-research/our-research-infrastructure/nihr-great-ormond-street-hospital-brc/nihr-gosh-brc-and-crf-joint-support-research-strategies/our-joint-strategy-for-equity-diversity-and-inclusion/edi-activity-plans/
EDI activity plans
Within the NIHR GOSH BRC, responsibility for the EDI strategy sits with the BRC leadership team (BRC Director, BRC Deputy Director and BRC Deputy Director of Operations). The EDI Coordinator will lead on delivery of the BRC activities shown below, with support from the EDI steering group, the BRC Operations Manager and Senior Research and Training Coordinator, BRC Theme Leads and Managers, Career Development Academy Leads, Junior Faculty Leads, and the GOSH R&I Research Communications Team.
Within the NIHR GOSH CRF, responsibility for the EDI strategy sits with the CRF leadership team (CRF Co-Directors and Head of Clinical Research Operations). The EDI Coordinator will lead on delivery of the activities shown below, with support from the Head of Clinical Research Operations, the Service Manager, and the Head of Nursing and Patient Experience.
We are planning to appoint a GOSH R&I EDI lead shortly, who will then have responsibility for the BRC and CRF EDI strategies, and will be accountable to BRC Science Board and CRF Board.
1. Evidence-led change
Objective: Embed processes of data collection, monitoring and analysis to inform our actions
| Action | Timeline | Responsible | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create a diversity data monitoring form in line with NIHR guidelines and embed within all application forms | Early 2023 | BRC | Data is routinely collected. |
| Survey all NIHR GOSH BRC stakeholders to establish a baseline to be used as comparator data to help identify targets. | End 2023 | BRC | Sufficient demographic data is collected to establish a baseline. |
| Analyse the data collected to identify areas of underrepresentation and develop actions to address these areas. | Annually | BRC | Data is analysed annually. Actions are developed following the identification of areas of under representation. |
| Publish demographic data on our applicants and awardees on our website annually, where possible and with relevant permissions. | By end 2024, annually | BRC | Data is published on our website annually. |
| Work alongside GOSH and ICH HR partners to monitor workforce equality data and identify areas of underrepresentation in the research workforce | Annually | BRC | Areas of underrepresentation are identified in accordance with the protected characteristics. Actions are developed following the identification of areas of under representation. |
| Conduct a review to identify underrepresented areas in our research workforce | Beginning Year 3, Sep-24 | CRF | Areas of underrepresentation in our workforce are identified and actions are developed. |
| Work with investigators to review our research participant population representative of clinical patient population | Year 3 | CRF | Data is collected to understand demographics of our research participants. |
2. Diverse leadership
Objective: Refining our equality, diversity and inclusive practices with regards to our research workforce
| Action | Timeline | Responsible | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review composition of our key boards and decision-making committees – Science Board, External Advisory Board | Early 2024 | BRC | Data collected on gender and ethnicity of key boards and committees. Actions developed to promote balanced representation. |
| Establish an EDI Steering Group | End 2023 | BRC/CRF | EDI steering group set up with diverse representation, meets regularly to support and guide EDI activities within the CRF and BRC |
| Appoint an EDI Lead | End 2023 | BRC | An EDI Lead chairs the EDI Steering Group. |
| Analyse demographic data of review panels | Start in 2023, collect annually | BRC | Areas of underrepresentation identified on review panels and actions developed. |
| Evaluate impact of anonymisation of review panels | By end 2024 | BRC | Impact of anonymisation of panels identified through analysis of applicants and awardees |
| Consider EDI in succession planning for leadership positions, committees, and boards | 2026/7 | BRC | EDI is embedded into recruitment process for leadership positions. |
| Review and refine our CRF Board to include international representation. | Year 3 | CRF | International representation on CRF Board |
3. Opportunities for all
Objective: Refining our equality, diversity and inclusive practices with regards to our research workforce
| Action | Timeline | Responsible | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify a scheme to encourage underrepresented students to science and research | End 2024 | BRC | A scheme is identified and supported through the BRC annually. |
| Signpost to relevant mentoring schemes | Early 2025 | BRC | Number of staff/students who are members of a mentoring scheme stable or increasing, and evidence of impact of schemes via staff/student feedback |
| Increase opportunities for Junior Faculty to observe board meeting and review panels | End 2024 | BRC | 5-10 Junior Faculty members attending a board meeting per year |
| Consider timing of funding calls and applications | End 2023 | BRC | Opportunities are appropriately timed |
| Develop new investigators in areas of underrepresentation in our research workforce | Year 4 | CRF |
Development/training scheme for new investigators established. New investigators from underrepresented groups are onboarded. |
| Review recruitment processes | Year 2 | CRF | Recruitment processes are reviewed annually to consider EDI principles. |
| Review advertising and selection processes for allocation of resources through competitive funding calls. | Annually | BRC | Identify groups who are underrepresented and develop action plan to provide additional support to facilitate successful applications. |
4. Inclusive participation
Objective: To create opportunities for underrepresented groups to participate in research at GOSH
| Action | Timeline | Responsible | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop and implement actions to address areas of underrepresentation in our research participants. | Year 3 | CRF |
Research participant population reviewed against general GOSH hospital population. Research fully represented. |
| Establish Equality Impact Assessments for all GOSH sponsored studies. | Year 5 | CRF |
Equality Impact Assessments are undertaken for all non-commercial GOSH sponsored studies. |
| Engage with sponsors and collaborative partners relevant to areas of unmet need identified | Year 5 | CRF | New collaborative partnerships established. |
Glossary of terms
Our strategies should be understandable for a variety of audiences but we may sometimes use acronyms or technical terms that you may not be familiar with