Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights

Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights

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1 July 2022


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Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB is committed to:

  • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
  • Advance equality of opportunity between different groups
  • Foster good relations between different groups
  • Equality Act 2010

    The Equality Act 2010 replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single act in October 2010. This single act has made equality laws simpler: easier for people to understand and comply with; removed inconsistencies; and strengthened protection in some situations.

    The Act covers nine protected characteristics, which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly. These characteristics refer to the groups of people who are specifically offered protection by the Equality Act. Every person has one or more of the protected characteristics, and so the Act protects everyone against unfair discrimination.

    More information can be found here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/public-sector-equality-duty

  • Human Rights Act 1998

    The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in 2000. Everyone in the UK is protected under the Act. NHS Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB as a public authority, is obliged by law to respect the basic human rights of all citizens. As a public body we must at all times act in a manner compatible with the rights protected in this Act and safeguard these for patients and staff in our care and employment.

  • Health and Social Care Act 2022

    The Health and Care Act 2022 was enacted on 28 April 2022. It builds on the proposals for legislative change set out by NHS England in its Long Term Plan, whilst also incorporating valuable lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic to benefit both staff and patients.

    It marks an important step in the health and care agenda, setting up systems and structures to reform how health and adult social care work together, tackle long waiting lists built up during the pandemic, and address some of the long-term challenges faced by the country including a growing and ageing population, chronic conditions, and inequalities in health outcomes.

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Our Equality Work Programme

We are committed to making sure equality, diversity and inclusion is a priority when planning and commissioning health and care services for our population.

We want to make sure our services are appropriate, equitable and accessible for everyone and nobody should be disadvantaged or discriminated against.

To achieve this aim, we must demonstrate that we have considered the impacts that policies, services and practices have on our patient population and our workforce – in particular those people with protected characteristics, those from vulnerable groups or others who experience significant health inequalities identified by the national Core20PLUS5 programme.