The NHS has a significant role to play in combatting modern slavery and supporting victims. But to do this we need to ensure that staff understand that modern slavery exists, and we need to ensure that staff are confident and able to both recognise the signs and symptoms of both victim and perpetrators and know what to do.

What is modern slavery?

Slavery is a violation of a person’s human rights. It can take the form of human trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, forced or servile marriage, descent-based slavery and domestic slavery. A person is considered to be in modern slavery if they are;

  • Forced to work through mental or physical threat
  • Owned or controlled by an “employer”, usually through mental or physical abuse
  • Dehumanised, treated as a commodity or sold or bought as “property”
  • Physically constrained or has restrictions placed in their freedom of movement
Our organisation

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of local health care services for the population of Blackpool and Fylde and Wyre, plus the tertiary centre for Lancashire Cardiac Services and a large employer. The Trust provides the following statement in respect of its commitment to, and efforts in, preventing slavery and human trafficking practices in employment practices and in dealing with suppliers.

As the provider of health care services (including acute, community and cardiac care) across the Fylde Coast, the Trust believes there is no room in our society for modern slavery and human trafficking, we have a zero tolerance for modern slavery and breaches in human rights and will ensure this is built into the processes and business practices that we, our partners and our suppliers use.

Our commitment to prevent slavery and human trafficking

The Trust’s Governing Board and all employees are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business activity and in so far as is possible to holding our suppliers to account to do likewise.

Our approach

Our overall approach will be governed by compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and the maintenance and development of best practice in the fields of contracting and employment and we will:

  • Work with the local NHS when reviewing the commissioning cycle for opportunities to ensure a robust approach
  • Review our approach and publish and annual statement outlining the steps we are taking to tackle modern slavery
  • Continue to ensure that our recruitment processes are highly mature, requiring practices that adhere to safe recruitment principles. This includes strict requirements in respect of identity checks, work permits and criminal records. These practices will extend to any employment agencies used by the Trust
  • Our pay structure is derived from national collective agreements and is based on equal pay principles with rates of pay that are nationally determined. The Strategic Workforce Committee (SWC) will hold the organisation to account in adhering to these standards and practices
  • Ensure our procurement processes provide assurance that organisations are taking relevant steps to adhere to the standards
  • Make declarations and contractual provisions with existing healthcare commissioners to ensure they understand the Trust’s approach to the Act
  • In the case of children and young people at risk, local Safeguarding Children Board multi-agency policies and procedures are followed
  • All staff can access support in this regard by contacting the Designated and Named Safeguarding professionals

The Trust’s Whistleblowing Policy, which applies to all employees, consultants, contractors and agency staff who work for the Trust is accessible via the Trust’s intranet site. Alternatively concerns can be raised with the Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian.

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending March 2023.