We are keen to ensure that we recognise and deliver culturally sensitive, inclusive, accessible and fair services which make a difference to the individuals we serve.
We are also committed to providing employment practices which are fair and accessible for the diverse workforce we employ. We aim to provide an environment that is equally welcoming to people of all backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and religions.
Equality and diversity is at the heart of the NHS and investing in a diverse workforce enables us to deliver a better service and improve patient care.
Equality is about creating a fairer society where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Diversity is about recognising and valuing difference in its broadest sense.
As a publicly-funded body, we are required to ensure that diversity, equality and human rights are embedded into all our functions and activities as per the Equality Act 2010, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the NHS Constitution. In performing our functions, we will:
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Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.
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Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
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Foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those who do not.
NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS) and equality objectives
In 2013, we implemented the NHS EDS framework to help support improvements in patient access, experience and outcomes and to improve our workforce practices and be seen as an inclusive organisation. The EDS is a developmental tool and will help us to assess our performance annually with local partners.
In partnership with local stakeholders such as our Local Involvement Networks and other organisations such as Diabetes UK, Richmond AID, EMAG, Hounslow Life Charity, Richmond LGB&T forum. We graded our performance against 18 EDS outcome areas and identified equality objectives for 2013/16. The report at the bottom of this page highlights the EDS grades achieved and also our objectives for the next year.
