Since 2020 NHS Grampian has taken a conscious and deliberate step to move from a policy of 'zero tolerance' towards a culture of 'anti-racism and anti-discrimination.' 

 

Promoting and encouraging a culture of inclusion and allyship across the organisation is an important component of this work.  

Allyship is the work of actively supporting and advocating for marginalised groups. Allies recognise where power is held within a system and work in solidarity and partnership with marginalised groups to amplify, empower and help drive change.

An Ally is a person who helps and supports people to help ensure their basic rights and ability to be happy and successful in society. The ally does not themselves belong to the underrepresented group they are supporting, but they educate themselves and bring their backing and voice to a movement towards equity for all.

Through understanding more about allyship, we can see how it can help to create a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, supported and able to make their best contribution.  By actively challenging biases, amplifying marginalised voices, and fostering psychological safety, allies contribute to a more equitable and empowering work environment. 

 

Serving as an ally isn’t just about managing the interpersonal dimensions of diversity and inclusion; it’s about facilitating greater equity across systems, policies, and practices, even when it’s difficult.  

 

Being an ally in the workplace matters because it helps create a culture where everyone can thrive.

The NHS Grampian Staff Equalities Network can help teams and services further explore allyship through an interactive workshop which takes a deep dive into what it means to practice allyship in the workplace.

 

If you would like to book a workshop or further explore allyship, you can email us at gram.staffequalities@nhs.scot 

 

You can also find further information about Allyship at: Toolkit: (leadingtochange.scot) 

 

You can find further details about additional learning and development, including our in-house Unconscious Bias and Active Bystander workshop at: Training and development (nhsgrampian.org)