New chief exec for Innovation Agency

THE Innovation Agency has appointed Dr Phil Jennings as Chief Executive, 4 years after he joined the organisation as Medical Director, later becoming Deputy Chief Executive. Phil takes charge as the Innovation Agency continues to flex in response to the needs of health and care partners facing pandemic pressures in the North West Coast. Programmes of work are focussed on meeting urgent needs, such as implementing:- 'virtual wards' using remote monitoring and digital tools in patients' homes, care homes and other community settings. The Innovation Agency's Coaching Academy is supporting collaborations and learning initiatives, such as:- 'Doing things differently' for leaders from different sectors in Cheshire and Merseyside as they develop a more joined up approach to improving the health and wellbeing of the population. And local businesses are being supported to introduce their innovations into the NHS and social care where there is potential to improve services.  Dr Phil Jennings said:- "It is a great privilege to work at the Innovation Agency where we are in a position to help our partners in health and care and to support the local economy through connecting innovations where they are most needed. We have a fantastic team and we are working harder than ever to align the best innovations and approaches to the needs of our local systems."

Phil, who is a practising GP, played a leading role in establishing NHS Wirral CCG in 2012 and became clinical chair of the CCG. He moved to NHS England / Improvement North West, as Deputy Medical Director, before joining the Innovation Agency in 2016 under the leadership of former Chief Executive Dr Liz Mear, who has moved to become Managing Director of Leeds Academic Health Partnership. Phil lives in Wirral with his GP wife Vicki, three daughters and a chocolate Labrador dog. Innovation Agency Chair Gideon Ben-Tovim OBE said:- "Many congratulations to Phil, who I know will provide wise leadership for our organisation and for our Region at a critical time for health and care and our local economy."

Act now 'to resolve employee issues post-Brexit'

EMPLOYERS across Merseyside are being advised by leading Regional law firm Napthens to make vital checks to their staffing ahead of changes to immigration policies as a result of Brexit. With fewer than 100 days until the end of the current EU transition period on 31 December 2020, the firm is supporting businesses across the Region to plan for major changes in hiring EU, EEA and Swiss nationals from January 1, 2020 onwards.

Angela Barnes, Senior Associate Solicitor, at Napthens and Business Immigration Specialist, has called on employers to take 3 vital steps to ensure they are prepared for the changes expected to be in place for workers for 2021.  Speaking to local businesses during a special immigration webinar organised by the firm, Angela advised all employers to check the makeup of their staff and identify who may be affected by forthcoming changes, particularly in respect of the EU Settlement Scheme "EUSS."

Secondly, she advised all employers to check with those staff whether they needed any support or assistance with their application process. Finally, for those employers who could be left with significant staffing shortages caused by the ending of free movement, on 31 December 2020, she advised them to consider the options under the UK's new points based system and, if appropriate, to apply for a Sponsor Licence now.  Angela added:- "Checking the status of your workers is a sensitive conversation to have, but it is vital to establish how your business may be affected by the ending of free movement on 31 December 2020. For some sectors, like:- agriculture, healthcare, Hospitality and manufacturing, which often rely on so called 'low skilled' or seasonal workers, they will either need to be creative with recruitment policies to attract and retain more UK applicants next year, or explore the option of becoming a Sponsor under the UK's new immigration system. There is undoubtedly a lot of change in the new immigration system that will come into place on 1 January 2021, but by planning ahead and working together we can help prepare the Region for the challenges they face."

Metro Mayor and BAME Community Leaders launch Race Equality Programme for Liverpool City Region

METRO Mayor Steve Rotheram and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community leaders have announced the establishment of a Race Equality Programme for the Liverpool City Region. The new pan-City Region programme will bring together leaders from the Combined Authority, Local Government, community organisations, business and the public sector to tackle systemic injustice and inequality and drive forward positive change for the City Region's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) residents and the Combined Authority's BAME employees. The programme will develop a case for change and a coordinated and far-reaching plan of action to tackle racial injustice across the whole City Region. Work will start soon, with a wide ranging community engagement exercise with BAME communities. The 1st areas of focus will be to understand BAME experiences of racism in accessing employment and skills, business support and the life experiences of young people. This will complement and be coordinated with work being undertaken by Liverpool City Council's Race Equality Taskforce. The aim will be to build a commitment to change in long standing structural inequalities faced by BAME communities in all areas of our society with firm plans for action. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will also publish its own Declaration of Intent on Race Equality, which will set out the issues and identify targets for how the Combined Authority will work to tackle racial inequality, both within the CA, and more widely across the City Region. Further work will follow with communities to co-create solutions.

Launching the commitment, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said:- "Whether it was the global outpouring of anger following the death of George Floyd, or the disproportionate impact the Covid19 Pandemic has had on different communities across our City Region; the events of this year have bought into sharp focus the deep seated and structural inequalities which still exist in our society. We are launching our Race Equality Programme because we recognise that the only way we can take meaningful action and bring about change in response, is for every part of our community to acknowledge the issues honestly, listen, learn and take action. As part of this I am committing the Combined Authority to take a hard and honest look at its own short comings. With our Declaration of Intent on Race Equality, we will set ourselves challenging targets to ensure that our workforce reflects the communities we serve much better than it does currently and to ensure that our funding programmes are more accessible and have positive impact for our BAME communities. But we know we can do more and we want to make sure we get this right so we will be working with BAME communities and institutions to develop solutions, I would encourage everyone to take part in the consultation work we will be undertaking."

Claire Dove OBE, VCSE Crown Representative for the UK Government, said:- "Black Lives Matter protests have given us a stark and unavoidable reminder that we are not doing anywhere near enough to tackle race inequality in our City Region. By being honest, reflecting on ourselves and collaborating, we have a new and vital opportunity to co-design solutions involving all our communities that can have a real and lasting impact. I believe young people should drive this change, it is their future , they have the motivation and energy to make a change, but we need to empower them and commit to translate their ideas and feedback into action."

Garth Dallas, Head of Collaborations for the Good Business Festival, said:- "Liverpool City Region has a diverse population from around the globe. It is home to the oldest Black African Community in the UK dating back to the 1730's, yet there are only a few Black led businesses in the City Region and very scarce information is available on Black led business enterprise activity. The Good Business Festival is placing a spotlight on Liverpool City Region's aspiration of being... 'a good place to do business because its businesses are good.' I, therefore, totally support the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority's approach to Take Action on Race Equality, and its aim of identifying effective frameworks and models to help Black led businesses start up, scale up and add significantly to the economic activity of the Region. Any inclusive economic growth strategy must address the under representation of Black-led businesses in the City Region."

Asif Hamid MBE, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said:- "I believe it is our responsibility to fully and comprehensively ensure that we are part of the solution for racial justice in our City Region and not part of the problem, and I welcome the formation of this programme to do just that. The LEP will be working with our board members, our sector sub boards, our local businesses and business facing organisations to ensure we are getting to the heart of the challenges and barriers faced. We can then work together to develop meaningful actions and plans that we can all undertake to make sure businesses are doing everything they can to eradicate racial injustice within the workplace."

Tracey Gore, Chair of Liverpool's Race Equality Task Force, said:- "It is welcome that the Combined Authority have taken the steps to set up this collaborative partnership to put in place a meaningful plan of action to address racial inequalities and injustices across our City Region. As Chair of Liverpool's Race Task Force, I look forward to working collaboratively with the Combined Authority. It will mean uncomfortable discussions and lifting the lid on the too hard to do box, all necessary, if we are to make long lasting change. It is our collective responsibility to make sure that the City Region's response to entrenched racial discrimination has a long lasting, positive impact for all of our citizens now and for future generations to come."

The Combined Authority and partners will now commence work directly with BAME community organisations across the City Region to take forward the work.