The ABLE (Disability) Network at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital began when a small circle of disabled colleagues and allies decided there needed to be an organised space to address the everyday realities of working or receiving care with a disability. What started as an informal conversation has grown into a recognised staff forum that meets every six weeks and reports directly to the Trust’s Staff Experience and Organisation Development Board Sub-Committee.
Practical change has always been the driver. The Network created a Staff Passport for Reasonable Adjustments so that agreed support follows people when they change roles; an easy-read version is also available. Both formats have since been requested by other NHS trusts across the region. Physical access has been tackled through a partnership with AccessAble, whose audit triggered improvements ranging from clearer signage to the installation of a permanent ramp to the historic HR building, finally giving wheelchair users equal access to recruitment and wellbeing services.
Changing culture is just as important. ‘Beyond the Stigma’ – a photo-and-video exhibition featuring disabled members of staff – has been shown in busy hospital corridors and on the intranet, sparking candid conversations and encouraging colleagues to resolve concerns informally. To sustain this momentum the Network has completed a set of thirty posters and leaflets that explain conditions such as autism, epilepsy and heart disease in plain English and with inclusive imagery; these will be displayed across the site in the coming months.
Collaboration underpins everything ABLE does. Joint meetings with other staff networks ensure disability is viewed through an intersectional lens, while advice from ABLE helped the Trust renew its Disability Confident Level 3 Leader accreditation. Most telling is the rise in employees who feel able to declare a disability: the figure has moved from 5.9 % to 6.9 % in a single year, well above the NHS average. The Network continues to focus on changes that make it easier for disabled colleagues, patients and carers to thrive every day.
