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South West Regional Social Partnership Forum 2 April 2012

Progress Report by Equality & Diversity Sub-Group

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South West Regional Social Partnership Forum2 April 2012

Equality & Diversity Sub-Group - Report

• Membership• Terms of Reference• Public Sector Equality Duty• Sub-group Actions• Audit Results• Next Steps

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South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group - Membership:

• Jo Perry, (Chair) Head of HR Strategy, NHS South of England

• Michail Sanidas, Equality and Human Rights Manager (West)

• Andrew Christaki, RCN Regional Officer for Dorset and Wiltshire

• Vicky Boroughs, UNISON, Regional Women's & Equalities Officer

• Suzanne Tewkesbury, Directorate of HR, Communications and Corporate Affairs,

• Richard Pembridge, Regional Officer Society of Radiographers

• Karen Cole, Health Sector Women's & Equalities Organiser SW Region

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“The Equality and Diversity Sub-Group has been established to assure the South West Regional Social Partnership Forum of preparedness and compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty by NHS South West organisations”

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group - Terms of Reference

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Public Sector Equality DutiesThe regulations laid before Parliament on the 28th June 2011 confirmed

that all public bodies will be required to publish:• Equality objectives every four years, in the first instance by 6 April

2012• Information annually to demonstrate their compliance with the

equality duty, in the first instance by 31 January 2012

Public Bodies must have ‘due regard’ to

1. Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

2. Advance equality of opportunity between people from different groups.

3. Foster good relations between people from different groups

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group

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• Three core meetings to date• Developed an Audit tool to monitor how the Public Sector Equality

duty is implemented within NHS South West• Audit distributed (December 2011)• Assessed initial audit results (January 2012)• Refreshed audit results(March, 2012) • Identified priority areas for further evidence and information• Discussed and reviewed the NHS South of England High level

Equality Objectives• Proposed expansion of sub-group to support South of England

RSPFs on E&D• The South of England NHS Equality team have agreed to re-run

the audit across South Central and South East Coast SHA patches.

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group - Actions

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Audit Results

Current position - March 2012

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group

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NHS South West organisations March 2012

• 42 returns in December and 43 in March– Includes 2/6 Social Enterprises

• Top 3 issues: Equality Delivery System board buy-in, nominated Equality Delivery System lead and engagement with the Equality Delivery System cluster

• Bottom 3 issues: Equality Delivery System grading/ equality objectives and support for staff who share a protected characteristic

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group – Audit Results (1)

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• Biggest Improvements since December:– Public Sector Duty Evidence– Engagement with groups who share a protected

characteristic– Engagement with patients and carers

• Areas for improvement:– Resources for equality and diversity– Training and awareness for staff– Engagement with GPs/ Clinical Commissioning

Groups

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group - Audit Results (2)

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• SPF Equalities Sub-Group for NHS South of England

• Audit to be rolled out across Central and East• Refreshed audit results to be published on the

NHS South of England website• Audit of Equality Objectives (West) following the

April 6th deadline

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group - Next Steps

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Questions?

South West Regional Social Partnership ForumEquality & Diversity Sub-Group