Staff's experiences help form disability network
Staff are hoping to use their lived experience to make a difference for disabled colleagues in Swansea Bay.
A Disability Staff Support Network has just been set up by members of the mental health and learning disabilities team.
The aim of the group will be to signpost colleagues to services and for assistance, provide direct support and a platform for discussion. It has initially been set up within mental health and learning disabilities but open for staff across the health board.
One in four people in the Swansea Bay region have a disability, which is why the health board has recognised this in its three-year Strategic Equality Plan called We All Belong.
Most people have what is known as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. The nine protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
PICTURED: Workforce Business Partner for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Service Group Susan Bimson has helped set up the network.
Feedback from over 4,500 people, including patients and our staff, on their healthcare experiences, highlighted that sometimes an individual’s differences made it more difficult to access healthcare or to fulfil their potential in our workplace, which can result in poorer physical and mental health.
Through our Strategic Equality Plan, the health board has prioritised eight areas to concentrate on in 2025-26, and a Disability Action Plan is included in that.
The health board is committed to recognising everyone whether as a patient, family member or colleague as an individual and helping them to access and feel they belong in our services and our workplace.
Susan Bimson, who is the Workforce Business Partner for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Service Group, has set up the new network along with Maura Walsh, an Art Psychotherapist based in Tonna Hospital, and other interested colleagues.
Maura, who has worked for the health board for the past 14 years, has a long-term degenerative condition and has faced various challenges whilst working within the NHS.
Maura said: “Creating a Disability Staff Support Network is an important platform for colleagues across the health board who have a disability.
“Setting up the service is about hope – the hope for things to change and improve for all disabled staff, and for colleagues across the health board to be aware of the service and how it can help.
“The starting point for the creation of the service came when I was having a conversation with Susan about a few issues I had experienced because of my disability and I didn’t know where to go for help, and she suggested setting up the network.
PICTURED: Art Psychotherapist Maura Walsh is a key part of the new network.
“This is what the network will look to solve by signposting staff and providing as much information and support as possible.
“There is a definite need to improve access to sites and training – this is something that I have encountered. As a disabled employee, I don’t want people to do things for me because I have a disability – I want to do it myself, but I need to have the information before I travel to a site and know what to expect in terms of parking, building access and training room location and facilities.
“It sounds pretty basic but I think it would make a big difference for disabled staff.
“Staff can contact me to share their experiences of being a disabled person in the health board or if they wanted to join the network.”
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