Equality and Diversity

Promoting human rights, equality and diversity

We aim to deliver healthcare services that are accessible and inclusive to everyone, in an environment characterised by dignity and mutual respect.

In our services to patients

We are committed to ensuring that every patient can access the services he/she needs and receives the optimal care, irrespective of different characteristics or backgrounds, such as gender, race, disability, religion and sexual orientation.

In the employment of our staff

We value the rich diversity and creative potential that employees with different backgrounds and abilities bring. We encourage a culture which values the contribution of every person, and in which an individual's success depends on personal merit and performance.

The Equality & diversity group

The Equality & Diversity Group aims to steer the ongoing development of an organisational culture of best practice in equality and diversity on behalf of the trust.

The Equality Act 2010 public sector duty

The general equality duty requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:

  • Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act.
  • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
  • Foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it.

 We have collected and analysed equality information in respect of our patient services and our employment activities to demonstrate our compliance with the duty, and to enable us to continually develop for the benefit of all our patients, visitors, staff and job applicants.

The trust has welcomed the NHS Equality Delivery System as an opportunity to look at how well we are doing in our endeavours to promote and continually improve equality delivery for patients and staff. We have listened to our key stakeholders, including our patients, healthcare partners, staff and staff side representatives, and used the equality information in the equality monitoring reports to assess our performance and develop equality objectives.