Based on local needs analysis, the ICB has identified the three key service priorities for equality duty. These areas will be the key focus for the annual action plan and Equality Delivery System (EDS2) grading.
Patients
As a ICB we are continuously exploring ways to improve equality in health outcomes for all our population. We put equality, diversity and human rights at the heart of all our commissioning decisions.
- We will ensure all our decisions are equality impact assessed (equality analysis) and they are robustly completed focusing on three key components: equality and equity, engagement and health inequalities. Outcomes of our equality analysis will be fed into the equality action planning process and be shared with our stakeholders and providers as appropriate.
- We will engage with our patients and carers from diverse backgrounds in commissioning. Our 2019-20 EDS2 grading and several EQIA outcomes have identified this as an area that needs further focused work.
- We will continue to work collaboratively with our partners, the voluntary sector and providers to advance equality.
Workforce
We recognise that promoting and supporting diversity in the workplace is an important aspect of good people management – it’s about valuing people in the organisation as unique individuals and offering them equality of opportunity in career progression and promotion.
Our aim is to have a workforce that reflect the local community we serve. To achieve this we will offer every staff member opportunities so that they can be the best they want to be – and they make our ICB a better commissioning organisation.
We are focusing on three key workforce areas:
- Recruiting staff from diverse backgrounds across all bands.
- Supporting staff in employment so that they can give their best and feel valued.
- Engaging staff in decision-making.
We will set up Staff Networks to support staff and help the ICB address issues facing our staff. Our People Plan will include specific measures and interventions on how the ICB can advance equality of opportunity for all and will include actions to improve staff experience.