Equality Impact Assessments
Background
Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is committed to delivering the very highest standards of access and care to patients from a diversity of cultures, differing age groups, and with a wide range of disabilities and needs, as well as enabling every individual working within the PCT to maximise their potential and contribution to the organisation.
Oxfordshire PCT strives to design and implement services, policies and measures that meet the diverse needs of our service population and workforce, ensuring that none are placed at a disadvantage over others. Plans to deliver equitable services, assess policies and comply with all legal requirements are set out in our single Equalities Scheme. This policy aims to support these commitments by ensuring that Equality Impact Assessments are carried out on all strategies, services and policies to make sure that the PCT does not discriminate and that, where possible, it promotes equality and respects diversity.
Legal Duty
The Race Relations Amendment (2000) Act states that all public bodies, including health trusts, have a legal responsibility to assess and consult on how their policies and functions affect different racial groups, and to monitor any possible negative impact on race equality. This duty is not optional. In addition, the Disability and Discrimination Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2006 also demand a similar process of equality assessment in relation to disability and gender, and clear outlines of how this should be undertaken.
Our Equality Impact Assessment Policy
Oxfordshire PCT has extended its legal duty to undertake generic equality impact assessments, taking account of other equality dimensions outlined in anti-discrimination legislation covering age, religion and sexual orientation.
Undertaking an Equality Impact Assessment also:
- Enables effective targeting of services and resources linked to local health needs
- Strengthens decision making and informs future business plans
- Increases transparency and user/public/staff trust and confidence
- Ensures increased confidence in the PCT and minimizes risk of legal action
- Promotes social inclusion
- Encourages meaningful engagements with diverse groups and strengthens understanding and sensitivity
Equality Impact Assessments should be carried out on all strategic plans with a relevance to race, disability, age, gender, faith or sexuality; all service development and redesign proposals and projects identified as part of the business planning process each year and all proposed, revised or existing policies and protocols.
EIA Toolkit
We have developed a toolkit to facilitate the completion of Equality Impact assessments and hold regular training sessions for staff.
Completed Equality Impact Assessment (EIA's)