The Equality Delivery System
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is working to implement a new Equality Delivery System (EDS) to improve the way in which people from different equality groups are treated as patients, service users, carers, employees and volunteers.
The EDS framework is made up of 4 main Goals, which are broken down into 18 more focused Outcomes, which pose questions for NHS organisations to answer, providing evidence where necessary.
The four main Goals are:
- Better Health Outcome
- Improved Patient Access and Experience
- A Representative and Support Workforce
- Inclusive Leadership
The EDS uses a rating system underpinned by a substantial number of factors which need to be evidenced to achieve the following ratings: undeveloped, developing, achieving and excelling.
What difference will this make?
The EDS is about real people making real improvements that can be sustained over time. It focuses on the things that matter the most for patients, communities and staff. It emphasises genuine engagement, transparency and the effective use of evidence. The EDS is not about occasional consultation, it is not a paper-chase and it is not self-assessment. By using the EDS, we will be able to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and be better placed to understand how we are performing on Equality and Diversity.
What we are doing as a Foundation Trust?
The Foundation Trust is committed to using the EDS to support our work in continually promoting equality and diversity. The EDS will take the place of previous Equality Schemes and so we will not a publishing a new Single Equality Scheme for the Foundation Trust in 2012.
In November 2011 we held an EDS workshop in which patients, voluntary organisations and people from the community were in attendance from across all the protected characteristics described in the Equality Act 2010. The workshop provided an introduction to the Equality Delivery System and an initial assessment of the Trusts performance on Equality and Diversity.
In February 2012 we held 2 grading workshops with volunteers from the previous event in November. At this event the Foundation Trust’s preliminary grades were explored and scrutinised by the community organisations and other local interests representing all of the protected groups. This then led to the Trust agreeing the final EDS grades with the attendees.
In March 2012 internal engagement was undertaken with staff to also assess the Trust’s performance on Equality and Diversity and to agree the final grades.
How we identified our Equality Objectives?
During the last 5 months the Trust has worked in partnership with many local communities of interest, the voluntary, statutory sectors and staff who represent people from all protected characteristics and health interests throughout Torbay.
The feedback from these events have helped the Trust identify a number of specific equality objectives aimed at reducing health inequalities and drive forward a more inclusive and accessible health service for all.
Use the link below to see the Trust’s Equality Objectives 2012 – 2013: