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NHS East Midlands: Baseline Assessment of Equality and Human Rights
Equality Works was commissioned by NHS East Midlands in October 2008 to undertake a baseline assessment of all 24 NHS organisations (including the Strategic Health Authority) within the East Midlands area in relation to Equality and Human Rights. The main aim of this project was to assess the infrastructure and consistency throughout the organisations, with a focus on the structures for managing equalities inside trusts and to make recommendations to further the agenda across the region.
Equality Works used a variety of methods to explore performance across the region, developing tailored questionnaires, interviews and other analysis against the SHA’s key areas of interest. Chief Executives, HR Directors and Equality Leads completed a total of 73 questionnaires and we interviewed 74 key people. This interview activity was focussed within 7 case study Trusts, which were selected to provide a mix in terms of geography, type of Trust, declared compliance with HCC Standard C7e and organisations with a city or county-wide remit. We undertook a website and document review for all Trusts including analysis of findings from staff and patient surveys.
The resultant regional snapshot places the SHA in a unique position to provide focussed support where needed and to facilitate regional partnering where beneficial. In addition, it allows gathering and sharing of best practice and the implementation of regional benchmarks.
We produced short reports for each of the 23 participating trusts (and for the SHA itself), which present our baseline assessment of their performance on Equality and Human Rights, based on the evidence reviewed, and make recommendations as to how this might be further developed.
Our separate regional report discusses the findings from this assessment around key themes and makes recommendations for the region and for the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) in relation to:
- Leadership
- Business Drivers
- The Management of Equalities
- Compliance
- Knowing Your Communities and Developing Services
- Employing and Managing a Diverse Workforce
The information gathered provides an insight into the regional picture of Equalities and Human Rights within NHS trust bodies. This will prove invaluable in getting the necessary support to them and ensuring that they are recognised for the good work which many of them have undertaken and for understanding different and shared business drivers to promote equality for Trusts across the region.