An innovative initiative designed to help identify and tackle health inequalities has been shortlisted in the Women in Tech Excellence Awards 2024 for Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year.

The demographic questions template was created by Ruth McLaren, Clinical Systems Manager and Carol McIndoe, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for Patient Experience at Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (CCS NHST) and allows comprehensive demographic data to be captured from patients and service users across the trust.

Carol said: “Since the introduction of The Equality Act 2010, awareness has grown in the UK around equality, diversity and inclusion in general, but also of the discrimination being experienced by people due to certain characteristics and circumstances, such as migrants, military veterans, carers and those who have experienced homelessness.

“There are shocking disparities around health outcomes in our population and we designed the demographic questions template to help us gain better insight into patients’ individual needs and circumstances, some of which may put a person at risk of experiencing health inequalities.”

Ruth said: “It is our ambition that everyone aged 13 or over who uses our services will routinely be asked a set of demographic questions and their answers will be automatically uploaded to their clinical record. 

“All staff involved in an individual's care will have sight of this data which means they’re better prepared and can make adjustments to meet an individual’s needs, for example, by obtaining information in alternative formats, accommodating several family members due to cultural practice, or arranging interpreters ahead of the appointment.”

The Women in Tech Excellence Awards 2024 recognise, celebrate and showcase trailblazing women from across the technology industry who still make up a minority of the tech workforce.

The diversity and inclusion initiative of the year award will be presented to an organisation who has launched the best diversity and inclusion initiative over the last 12 months and the winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 27 November 2024 at Hilton Park Lane in London.

Mark Crannage, Associate Director of Business Information and Digital Systems at CCS NHST said: “This is a remarkable achievement as the award is open to women in technology across all public sector and private industries and I’m incredibly proud of Ruth and Carol.”

Earlier this year, the demographic data capture template was shortlisted for the digital equality, diversity and inclusion award at the 2024 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Digital Awards.

The 2024 shortlist for the Women in Tech Excellence Awards can be found at  https://womenintechexcellence.co.uk/womenintechexcellenceawards/en/page/2024-shortlist

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Notes to Editors

For further information about Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, please contact our communications team on 0300 555 6655 or email ccs.communications@nhs.net