Disability Equality

We need to take action to identify and address the attitudinal, institutional and physical barriers that disadvantage disabled people when accessing our employment and our services. There is a requirement to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the provision and delivery of services for vulnerable groups, including people with learning disabilities

It has been estimated that 1 in 7 of the population are disabled

What are some of the things that we are currently doing to promote Disability Equality?

  • We provide a Deaf interpreting service 24/7
  • We are working with our partners to develop and implement an Action Plan to meet the recommendations made in Healthcare For All to improve access to healthcare for people with Learning Disabilities
  • We have made primary care services more accessible and integrated through the development of purpose built, DDA compliant, health centres in Blackbird Leys and East Oxford built through the government’s NHS LIFT initiative (Local Improvement Finance Trust).
  • We have developed an End of Life Strategy to increase support available at home, both ona planned and unplanned level, to enable patients to die in their usual place of residence where that is their choice.

What are some of the things that we are planning to do to promote Disability Equality?

  • Work with GP practices to ensure they have access to training about working with people with learning disabilities and help them offer annual health checks to people with learning disabilities
  • Work with Oxfordshire Association for the Blind to ensure that we provide information in appropriate formats
  • Complete an evaluation of our Deaf interpreting service

The Equalities Scheme

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust has a clear commitment to providing equality of access to the information, services and employment that we provide. The single Equalities Scheme lays out how we intend to take the needs of disabled people into account in everything we do, whether that is providing or commissioning services, employing people, developing policies or communicating with people. This Scheme is a public document which sets out our vision and intentions around promoting disability equality.

Responsibility for disability equality sits with everyone. The work is steered by the Equality & Diversity group which is a sub committee of the PCT board.

To obtain a copy of the Equalities Scheme in other formats, such as Easy Read or Large Print please contact the Patient Advice & Liaison Services Manager at Oxfordshire PCT on 0800 052 6088 or pals@oxfordshire.nhs.uk