Florence
Nightingale
Foundation

FNF Anti Racism Statement and Commitment

Anti-racism

The Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) is an anti-racist organisation. It firmly believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual and is committed to opposing all forms of racism and discrimination. We recognise that racism has a long and painful history, the legacy of which continues to leave deep scars on our society. To create a more equitable future, we must first acknowledge the past and learn from it.

We are dedicated to educating ourselves and our team on the issue of racism, including its historical roots and contemporary manifestations, its biopsychosocial harm on the global majority and the inequalities that resulted from this. We are committed to providing opportunities for continuous learning, growth, and self-reflection, both individually and collectively. This will enable us to make the internal changes which will ensure a culture of belonging as opposed to assimilation. This necessitates an understanding of how race intersects with other aspects of identity, and recognising the unique experiences of individuals at these intersections who may encounter compounded forms of discrimination.

We recognise the power of our networks and influence. We are committed to using these resources to fight against racism and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by being more intentional with our actions . We will actively seek out partnerships and collaborations with organisations that share our values and goals.

We understand that grassroots change through community organising is a critical component of anti-racism work. We are committed to supporting communities in their efforts to organise and advocate for change, while recognising, respecting and understanding the leadership and expertise of those directly impacted by racism.

Finally, we believe that authenticity is at the core of effective leadership. We are committed to promoting and embracing the many voices and diverse experiences that make up our health and care system and to creating an inclusive environment where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work.

Allyship

As an organisation, the Florence Nightingale Foundation recognises the importance of allyship in the fight against racism. We understand that we have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with diverse communities and to actively work towards dismantling systems of oppression.

We are committed to educating ourselves, our team, our alumni and membership community on how to be effective allies. This includes listening to and amplifying the voices of diverse communities, acknowledging our privilege and confronting our own biases, and actively working to create more inclusive and equitable spaces.

We recognise that allyship is an ongoing process that requires constant self-reflection, learning and action. We are committed to providing resources and support to our team and community to enable us to become better allies and advocates.

We believe that true allyship requires action, and we are committed to taking concrete steps to support diverse communities. This includes using our platforms to raise awareness of issues, advocating for policy change, and supporting organisations that work towards equity and social justice. In addition we will ensure individuals who are part of our community are aware of how they can report direct and indirect experiences of racism and have access to the right advice, support and network to raise and challenge their experience. We will be an accomplice in the dismantling of racism and ensuing injustices.   

In short, we believe that global allyship is an essential component of anti-racism work and are committed to being active and effective allies in the fight against racism and discrimination.

What we have done

• Over 5 years, we have taken dedicated steps towards promoting diversity and inclusivity in nursing and midwifery leadership. Through our tailored leadership development opportunities, we have consistently engaged nurses and midwives from diverse cultural backgrounds, with over 50% of programme participants representing these groups.
• In partnership with others, we have implemented programmes aimed at addressing health inequalities experienced by diverse groups, as well as promoting inclusion in the workplace. These programmes have yielded measurable social and economic impact. This includes an open access module and webinar on Allyship.
• As part of our commitment to promoting global nursing and midwifery, we have supported Diaspora International Nursing and Midwifery Associations, enabling them to expand their pastoral care assistance, wider reach and impact significantly. We’ve also provided them training in community organising and grassroots leadership development to facilitate wider influence.
• One of our most successful initiatives has been the delivery of an online leadership programme specifically designed for internationally educated nurses and midwives who recently joined the UK health and social care system. This programme provides a valuable development opportunity that is scalable and accessible, with over 1660 international nurses benefitting from the programme so far. It aims to proactively prevent experienced, talented and ambitious internationally educated nurses and midwives experiencing limited career progression or a lack of opportunity to exercise their expertise.
• Internally we have invested over 50% of our training budget in an in-depth programme of EDI development for our team. We have also convened an Equity Assessment and Action Group, comprising of team members who identify as representing one or more protected characteristic. This group review all new policies, process and procedures and provide recommendation to the Executive and Board on the development and implementation.

 What we plan to do

• We will ensure our team and our Board of Trustees is as diverse as the nursing and midwifery population we serve and adopt fair recruitment practices which promote the value of diversity.
• We will support and encourage the adoption of anti-racism, cultural intelligence, and active bystander through training to help FNF employees gain the confidence to effectively address instances of racism in the workplace.
• FNF organisational systems, processes and policies are developed and implemented in collaboration with our internal Equity Assessment and Action Group, comprising of team members who identify as representing one or more protected characteristic.
• We are committed to providing equity of access to leadership opportunities for nurses and midwives from the global majority and we will publish our data to show our progress over the last five years and every year thereafter.
• Increase the number of leadership development opportunities available exclusively to the global majority by 20% within the next year, and monitor participant feedback and progress to ensure effectiveness.
• We will do this by continuing to provide our flagship Windrush and Internationally Educated Nurses and Midwives leadership programmes (Target Band 5/6) but also broaden to ensure we are reaching the whole spectrum of leadership levels and health/care sectors. This will enable a critical mass of global majority nurses and midwives influencing at all levels of the hierarchy.
• Undertake impact research to quantify the impact of diverse leadership on patient satisfaction and healthcare outcomes, and annually publish results to raise awareness of the importance of promoting diversity in leadership roles.
• Collaborate with diaspora nursing and midwifery associations to expand their reach, support their members, and empowering their International nurses and midwives colleagues to raise concerns and advocate for change within their respective health and care systems.
• Work with senior Global Majority nursing and midwifery leaders to ensure our actions are ethical and effective through their support, advice and expertise and work in partnership to realise our ambitions.
• Increase the number of social media posts promoting awareness and advocating for diverse leadership by 20% within the next six months, and track engagement metrics to measure effectiveness.
• Establish formal partnerships with three organisations and develop joint initiatives to pursue equity and justice in the healthcare system over the next three years, with measurable outcomes and impact goals.
• Report on the progress and learning arising from this activity in our annual report and impact report to demonstrate transparency and accountability.

Contributors

This anti-racism statement and set of commitments were developed in collaboration with the following people. They will continue to provide oversight and challenge as we progress and take forward our commitments. With sincere gratitude to:

• Avey Bhatia (Chief Nurse – Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)
• Heather Caudle (Group Chief Nursing Officer, Northern Care Alliance and Chair of the Global Majority Chief Nurses Group)
• Jay Dungeni (Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | Deputy Chief Nurse – Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)
• Lincoln Gombedza (Community Learning Disability Nurse – North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust)  
• Nichole McIntosh (Regional Head of Nursing and Midwifery – Workforce, Training and Education Directorate NHS England)
• Wendy Olayiwola (National Maternity Lead for Equality – NHS England)
• Rohit Sagoo (Founder & Director of British Sikh Nurses)
• Sue Tranka (FNF Trustee | Chief Nursing Officer for Wales)

Definition of Key Terms

Racism: The belief in the superiority of one race over another, and the resulting discrimination and mistreatment of individuals or groups based on their race.

Allyship: The practice of promoting and advocating for the rights and well-being of individuals or groups who experience systemic oppression, often through active and intentional support, education, and amplification of marginalised voices.

Equity: The principle of fairness and justice, where resources and opportunities are distributed to individuals or groups according to their needs, rather than being equal for all regardless of their circumstances.

Inclusion: The active and intentional effort to create a community or space where all individuals, regardless of their identities or backgrounds, feel valued, respected, and able to fully participate.

Diversity: A range of visible and invisible identities, cultures, and perspectives that exist within a society or group, including differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, and socioeconomic status.

Global majority: A term used to describe the majority of the world’s population, which is made up of people of colour.

Community organising: The process of bringing people together to collectively work towards social or political change, often through grassroots campaigns, movements, or initiatives.

Intersectionality: a theoretical framework and analytical tool that recognises that individuals have multiple identities and experiences of oppression, discrimination, and privilege due to the intersecting nature of their social identities such as race, gender, sexuality, class, religion, and ability. Intersectionality emphasises the importance of considering the unique ways in which different aspects of identity intersect and affect individuals’ experiences of power and oppression in societal structures.

You can download a pdf version of this statement here.