NELFT receives gold award for commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion at work
North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has received a Gold Award for its commitment to inclusion of lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people in the workplace.
The award is the highest possible accolade given and sees NELFT listed in the Top 100 Employers List, which ranks the best organisations for LGBTQ+ employees.
Within the list, NELFT is ranked in the Top 10 for the health and social care sector. The awards and rankings are developed by the world’s second-largest LGBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, who for twenty years, have been supporting employers to create welcoming workplaces for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people.
NELFT’s acting chief executive and executive lead for the Trusts’ LGBT+ network, Jacqui Van Rossum (she/her/hers), said:
“This proud achievement could not be possible without our amazing LGBT+ network and all the fantastic staff who devote their time to promoting equality throughout the Trust. We are continuously striving for a world class just and compassionate culture at NELFT, and I want to encourage anyone from the LGBTQ+ community to come and join us."
According to Stonewall’s research which looked at LGBTQ+ people across England, Scotland and Wales about their life in Britain, more than a third of LGBTQ+ staff (35 per cent) hide who they are at work, while one in five (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments because they are LGBTQ+.
Liz Ward, director of programmes at Stonewall (she/her), said:
“We spend so much of our time at work, and our career can be a huge part of how we define ourselves. Every single lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer person should be able to be themself at work. From understanding how HR policies, such as parental leave, will affect them, to being reassured that they can speak openly about their lives and partners at the coffee machine, the impact of inclusive workplaces can be life-changing. It’s fantastic that NELFT has gained a Gold Award for their efforts and commitment to creating an inclusive work environment, and we look forward to seeing and supporting the rest of their inclusion journey.”
NELFT placed eighth in the health and social care sector and 89th overall. 
Full results can be found on the Stonewall website, as well as further information about the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion.