Promoting equality
The Trust is committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity and protecting human rights.
This commitment includes working to eliminate discrimination against employees, patients, services users and carers on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
In addition, the Equality Act 2010 places a legal duty on public sector organisations to exercise their functions to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010
- advance equality of opportunity between people
- foster good relations between people
We recognise that everyone has different needs in relation to public services, and that in both the workplace and as service users, certain individuals/groups of individuals can experience unfair and unequal outcomes. To assist us in understanding and taking action where necessary, the Trust has implemented the Department of Health's Equality Delivery System (EDS) for the NHS, the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard and the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES).
The WRES contains a number of workforce indicators. For each indicator, the trust is required to compare the data for Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff with non BAME staff with the aim of closing any identified gaps
The EDS requires the Trust, in collaboration with local interest “groups”, to analyse and grade our own performance, and set defined equality objectives supported by an action plan. It is designed as a tool to be used to help the Trust and all our staff understand how equality can drive improvements and strengthen the accountability of services to patients and the public. It will help ensure that everyone - patients, public and staff - have a voice in how the Trust is performing and where it should improve.
Equality performance is assessed against 18 outcomes grouped under the following four objectives:
- Better health outcomes for all
- Improved patient access and experience
- Empowered, engaged and inclusive staff
- Inclusive Leadership
From the results of the assessment the Trust sets defined equality objectives, supported by an action plan. Performance against the objectives is to be assessed annually.
Implementing this system will help us to meet the commitment set out above as well as those contained within the Equalities Act 2010.
Equality and diversity is related to the actions and responsibilities of everyone – users of services including patients, clients and carers; work colleagues; employees; people in other organisations; the public in general.
Equality Action Plan
The Trust is working to an action plan, running up to 2024, which contains all our plans to make the Trust a more equal place to work for all, as well as tracking our progress.
Equality Action Plan (April 2024)
We monitor Workforce Race Equality Standard/Disability Equality Standard data, as well as on the Gender Pay Gap, so as to embed accountability and equality to help make our Trust a welcoming and equitable place to work for all.
Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)
Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES)
Pay gap reports
Equalities Pay Gap Report - 2023-24
Gender Pay Gap Report (May 2023)
Policy to support trans patients, colleagues and service users
Download our policy on supporting transgender patients, colleagues and service users here
Annual Statement on Inequalities
Download our Annual Statement on Inequalities (October 2024)