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Diversity and inclusion
We welcome, value and celebrate our diverse workforce and communities
To support this commitment we use a number of tools including the Equality Delivery System (EDS) 2 tool and the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES).
Equality is about fairness where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. People should be treated fairly regardless of their characteristics. Diversity is about recognising and valuing difference in its broadest sense. We appreciate and respect people as individuals, as each person’s own characteristics bring a unique contribution to the organisation.
We are committed to providing personal, fair and diverse services to our staff, communities and people from a whole range of backgrounds and beliefs, including people of all ages, disabilities, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership status, races, religions or beliefs, sex, and sexual orientations (in line with the Equality Act 2010). We’re also committed to providing personal, fair and diverse services to carers, and have included actions relating to carers in our Equality Improvement Plan.
How do we know how we are doing?
Every year, we work with staff, patients, families, carers and the public to assess our performance in relation to equality and diversity and agree an improvement plan for the next year.
The Trust’s annual process:
- Confirm governance and leadership commitment.
- Identify stakeholders.
- Analyse performance and agree grades with stakeholders with different protected characteristics. This includes:
- participation in engagement events to which local community groups, carers, patients, staff, union representatives and charities are invited
- engagement with patient forums and events
- analysis of themes from equality monitoring data in patient experience surveys, ‘secret shopper’ feedback, feedback from patient experience tools
- analysis of themes arising in staff surveys as well as workforce and HR analysis
- Prepare equality objectives and improvement plans with stakeholders.
- Integrate plans into mainstream business planning.
- Publish grades, equality objectives and plans.
- Undertake ongoing monitoring of progress.
Staff and patients do not have to declare their equality information. However, we encourage staff and service users to share this with us, to ensure we can reflect their needs in the provision of our services and at work.
Monitoring progress
Progress against our improvement plan is monitored by the Trust’s People Participation and Equalities Committee, which itself reports to the Trust Board via the lead executive. In addition, the Trust reports on its progress and compliance to the People Participation Committee as well as the Joint Consultative and Negotiating Partnership.
The approach outlined support the Trust’s commitment to the Public Sector Equality Duty to engage with our diverse communities so that the policies and services we provide are appropriate, accessible to all and meet different people’s needs.
We are using the Equality Delivery System 2 (EDS). This is the updated version of the EDS launched by the Department of Health. It use it as a tool to help us to deliver against our statutory requirements in promoting equality and the value of diversity of our staff and service users in order to meet our goals.
Our goals:
- Better health outcomes for all
- improved patient access and experience
- empowered, engaged and well supported staff
- inclusive leadership at all levels
Reports
Last reviewed: 14 May, 2025