Delivering Equality

• We want to make it easy for people from all backgrounds and characteristics to access our services.
• We want to recruit and retain colleagues from all backgrounds and communities, providing equitable support that benefits everyone.
• We want our colleagues, patients and their carers to feel valued and respected as individuals.

Our most recent workforce monitoring data can be found within the reports on the right of this page.

The Equality Delivery System was developed by NHS Employers. It applies to all NHS services.

The EDS2 is designed to help organisations improve equality performance. It helps embed equality into mainstream NHS business.

Our Equality and Inclusion Subcommittee is responsible for monitoring and developing the EDS2. Each year it reviews equality priorities to ensure they remain focused on advancing equality between different groups – for patients, staff and anyone who comes into contact with our services.

Read a summary of the EPUT Equality Delivery System (EDS2) 2020/21 report here.

Our Equality and Inclusion Subcommittee comprises of senior managers, front line staff from our services, and partners.

The subcommittee meets bi-monthly and is commissioned to steer the work needed to make progress towards the Equality Delivery System and the General Equality Duties.

In order to guide the Trust’s work to improve equality, diversity and inclusion, we have adopted the following objectives:

• We will ensure that everyone is able to access our buildings, services and information.
• We will empower our staff to build strong and healthy communities by being open and compassionate when involving people from all communities and groups.
• We will ensure all staff feel safe, included and have fair access to employment.

Our equality objectives were developed and agreed with internal and external stakeholders. We will monitor and report on our progress through our Equality and Inclusion Subcommittee and through our performance management and governance framework.

The Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) requires NHS employers to take action to improve black and minority ethnic equality. EPUT takes this duty very seriously.

All NHS trusts are required to place greater focus on the experiences of black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the workplace. WRES sets out some specific measures that we are required to report on regarding BME staff experiences – including staff survey responses, access to training, disciplinary proceedings and access to jobs.

We now know that we are starting to make improvements in some areas. However, things have got worse in other areas. We have prioritised our actions around those areas which need the most attention – whilst also continuing to build on the good work that has already made improvements to the experiences of BME colleagues.

We continue to analyse our performance every 12 months. Our action plan is reviewed at the end of each quarter. This is done in partnership with our colleagues from BME backgrounds.

WRES Report 2022 and Appendix A – WRES Breakdown and Metrics
Appendix B – WRES Action Plan Sept 2022–Sept 2023
Appendix C – BAME Staff Appointment Trajectory Chart and Ambition Modelling
WRES Infographic 2022

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) sets out ten specific measures (metrics) that will enable EPUT to compare the experiences of our disabled and non-disabled staff.

Our first WDES report was completed in 2021 – this provides our baseline of information on each metric. It will enable us to see improvements and changes over time. A 12-month action plan was also published alongside the WDES report. This places emphasis on improving the quality of data we hold about our disabled workforce. Each year we will report on progress and review our priorities against the WDES metrics. This work is carried out in collaboration with our Mental Health and Disability Staff Equality Network.

The WDES is important because research shows that a motivated, inclusive and valued workforce helps to deliver high-quality patient care, increased patient satisfaction and improved patient safety.

Implementing WDES enables us to better understand the experiences of our disabled staff. It will support positive change for existing employees and facilitate a more inclusive environment for disabled people working in the NHS. Like the Workforce Race Equality Standard, on which the WDES is partly modelled, it will also allow us to identify good practice and compare our performance with that of other organisations.

WDES Report 2022 and Appendix A – Breakdown of WDES Metrics 2022
Appendix B – WDES Action Plan Sept 2022-Sept 2023
WDES Infographic 2022
Disability Confident Employer Certificate