A team from Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has won a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) award to mark their outstanding contribution to the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda at the College’s annual regional Black History Month conference.

Rewarding excellence in enhancing the experience of BAME service users and staff across the health and social care sectors, the awards recognise a wide range of initiatives being undertaken across the North West.

The International Recruitment team at Bolton have been recognised for their exemplary approach to welcoming and settling internationally educated nurses (IEN).

From first contact whilst still at home in their native country, to sourcing comfortable accommodation, familiarisation trips and help with everyday activities such as banking and continuing education, the four-person team ensures a warm and familiar welcome to all new recruits.

Such is the success of the approach that it is being emulated at neighbouring trusts, with the Bolton team being commissioned to provide the same service to other IENs.

Clinical Lead for International Recruitment at Bolton NHS FT, Victoria Fletcher-Simm, nominated the team. She said:

It is fair to say that this team has become family to all our international arrivals. We are there for the highs, the lows and all the bits in between and the team remains an integral part of this group’s support network. With only four members, the impact of so few cannot be acknowledged enough. They are true advocates for all our international arrivals and their families.

Congratulating the award winners, Estephanie Dunn, Regional Director of RCN North West, said:

Our Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic nursing community play a vital role in caring for people and their families across the region and these awards celebrate the unique contribution that they make. We are proud to honour their achievements alongside those who work to address inequalities that this demographic contends with on a daily basis.

“No one, no matter their ethnicity or place of birth, should be denied the same rights and opportunities afforded to others and there are few places where that disparity is more apparent than in the health and care sector. Despite progress made by employers to address race inequality, discrimination in the health and care sector is systemic – and it’s clear it still has a long way to go in overcoming the prejudices that both patients and staff face and to achieve greater equality

“However, hearing how valued our award winners are in their organisations gives me hope that one day trying to fight inequality within the health and care sector will be a thing of the past.

The awards form part of the RCN North West’s annual event to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of nursing staff either from or in service of those from BAME backgrounds who work in health and social care across the region.