The first ever equality and human rights director for the NHS has been appointed to spearhead the NHS diversity agenda.
The new director, Surinder Sharma, will promote the NHS action plan on leadership and race equality as well as tackling inequalities in all aspects of health and social care delivery.
NHS chief executive Sir Nigel Crisp said: “The NHS workforce must reflect the community it serves. It must be trained and equipped to deliver responsive and accessible services for all.
“Equality and diversity need to be explicitly acknowledged and integral to all NHS corporate strategies.,” he said.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
However, shadow health minister Simon Burns said the £115,000-a-year job was a waste of money since staff already gave fair and equal treatment to all.
“It’s crazy to spend badly needed money on something as ‘politically correct’ and useless as this,” he said.
