Equality and Diversity

East London NHS Foundation Trust has replaced its Single Equality Scheme with a four year action plan.

The action plan is aimed at addressing any areas of inequality identified through the consultation process with service users, carers, local organisations, trust staff and others who have an interest in our work as part of the NHS Equality Delivery System.

We believe that this approach will help the Trust to achieve its long standing commitment in ensuring our services and employment practices are fair, accessible, and appropriate for the diverse community we serve and the workforce we employ.

Equality and diversity is important to us because

  • we want to make is easy for people to access our services
  • We want to recruit and retain our staff from all diverse communities
  • We want to treat staff and those who use our services to be valued and respected as individuals.
  • We want to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and honestly.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 came into force on 10th September. They help public bodies perform the public sector Equality Duty better by requiring them to publish relevant, proportionate information showing compliance with the Equality Duty, and to set equality objectives. 

The Act covers nine protected characteritics, which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly.  The protected characteristics are:
• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex (gender)
• sexual orientation

See the links below for full details

Equality Objectives 2012-2016
Equality Objectives 2012-2016

Patient Equality Information Report:
Patient Equality Information Report
EasyRead - Equality Information Report for Patients

Workforce Equality Information Report:
Equality Information Workforce Report
EasyRead - Equality Information Report for Workforce

Patient/Workforce Equality Information Summary Report
Equality Information Report Patient/Workforce Summarised version

Equality Analysis (Equality Impact Assessments)
The Trust also publishes Equality Analyses that have been undertaken on policy and service changes. These are based on Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance. These are published in the Policy on Development of Procedural Documents section.

Speech and Language Therapy Equality Analysis
Virtual Ward Equality Analysis
Virtual Ward Equality Analysis Action Plan

Equality and Human Rights Guidelines for Public Sector Organisations
To find out more click here for the Equality and Human Rights Commission website 

Equality Reports/Newsletters:
Equality and Diversity Information Pack