About us
Our mission is to offer support to staff through a workplace network that works in partnership with NHS and other healthcare organisations.
We want to create an environment where staff can:
discuss issues related to the protected characteristic of sex
speak up for themselves and on behalf of patients
The network will ensure the specific sex-based needs of different staff and patient groups are represented in the internal discourse of NHS organisations.
We endorse and will uphold the NHS Constitution.
We aim to support NHS organisations to meet requirements under the public sector equality duty.
Our principles
We believe that every patient has the right to receive evidence-based care, free from ideological bias and that information for patients should use medically accurate terms which can be understood and accessible to all.
We believe that there should be no hierarchy of rights – the NHS should comply with its public sector equality duty to:
have due regard to the need to put an end to discrimination, harassment and victimisation of those with sex as a protected characteristic
foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not
advance equal opportunities between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not
We believe that sex matters to the specific needs of staff working for the NHS and consideration of sex is essential for NHS staff to be able to deliver evidence-based healthcare.
We want to ensure that accurate terms – which can be understood by all – are used in our organisations’ communications.
Our aims
To support staff and organisations to fulfill and adhere to the NHS values and guidelines as set out in the NHS Constitution.
To support NHS organisations to meet the requirements under the public sector equality duty.
To ensure all resources used in the NHS comply with the Equality Act 2010, specifically in relation to the protected characteristic of sex.
To be included as a resource for consultation, advice and input of views for national NHS bodies when they are formulating internal plans and policies alongside other staff networks.
To facilitate the creation of local NHS SEEN staff networks to work with existing networks.
To support staff to challenge discrimination at work and enable them to feel safe to exercise their legal rights under the European Convention of Human Rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association, provided they manifest their rights lawfully and respectfully and in line with the NHS Constitution.
Our members
Our members include staff across all grades in clinical and non-clinical roles, in NHS settings across the United Kingdom.