Partnerships

Excellence in Action partnered with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust to take a frank, organisation-wide look at race inequality and what was really happening beneath the surface. Commissioned by the Chief Executive, the work was designed to move beyond high-level metrics and get to the root of the challenges facing the Trust.

Over several months, Yvonne and the team worked across the organisation, combining detailed workforce data analysis with honest conversations with staff at all levels. This approach allowed the Trust to see not just where disparities existed, but how they were being experienced day to day, from recruitment and progression through to workplace culture and leadership. 

What emerged was a clear and unfiltered picture of the organisation, highlighting both the progress that had been made and the systemic issues still holding people back. The work gave the Trust a solid evidence base to understand where intervention was needed most, and why previous initiatives had struggled to gain traction.

The partnership is now helping Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust turn insight into action, supporting leaders to take more visible, accountable steps towards change. The focus is not on producing another report, but on creating the conditions for long-term improvement, where inclusion is felt in practice and not just described in policy.

Yvonne Coghill, through Excellence in Action, works in close partnership with Milton Keynes University Hospital to support the Trust in understanding and addressing workforce race inequality. This collaboration is rooted in a shared commitment to creating a fair, inclusive and high-performing organisation where all staff are valued and able to thrive.

Working alongside senior leaders and staff across the Trust, Excellence in Action led a comprehensive programme of work to explore the lived experiences of Black, Asian and minority ethnic colleagues. This included in-depth data analysis across the entire employment lifecycle, alongside qualitative insight gathered through interviews and engagement with staff at all levels.

The partnership goes beyond reporting. It provides the Trust with clear, evidence-based recommendations and practical actions to drive meaningful and sustainable change. By identifying systemic barriers and areas of inequality, the work supports leadership teams to make informed decisions that improve staff experience, culture and ultimately patient care.

Together, Excellence in Action and Milton Keynes University Hospital are focused on long-term impact, embedding race equality into the fabric of the organisation. This partnership reflects a shared belief that improving workforce experience is fundamental to delivering high-quality healthcare and building a more equitable NHS for the future.

Excellence in Action partnered with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust to explore how people from ethnic minority communities experience mental health services, and how effectively the Trust connects with the communities it serves. The work was commissioned to move beyond assumptions and develop a clearer, evidence-based understanding of access, experience and outcomes for patients across the region. 

At the heart of the partnership was a focus on listening. Alongside detailed analysis of patient data, the work brought together the voices of service users, carers and community groups to understand how services are perceived, where trust is built and where it is lacking. This combination of quantitative insight and lived experience provided a much richer and more honest picture of the reality for many people accessing care.

The findings highlighted important gaps, not just in outcomes, but in relationships. Community groups spoke openly about a lack of engagement, limited understanding and the need for more meaningful dialogue with the Trust. In response, the work set out clear recommendations to strengthen connections, improve communication and ensure that services are shaped with communities, not just for them.

This partnership is helping to shift the focus towards a more inclusive, community-led approach to care. By strengthening relationships and building greater understanding, Excellence in Action is supporting the Trust to create services that feel more accessible, more responsive and ultimately more equitable for the diverse communities it serves.