Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership values equality, diversity and inclusion.
Equality is about making sure everyone is treated fairly and given an equal chance to access opportunities. It is not about treating everyone the same way. People may require different things to achieve similar outcomes.
Diversity means ‘difference’. When it is used in the same context as equality, it is about recognising and valuing individual as well as group differences. It also means treating people as individuals and placing positive value on the diversity they bring because of a protected characteristic or cultural background.
Inclusion is about making all groups of people feel included and valued within their society or community. Where individuals or groups of individuals are excluded or feel on the margins of society there is often a direct impact on their health and wellbeing.
To make sure everyone is able to get the best out of health and care, we need to understand who our service users are, and what their individual needs are, so when they access services, they get the right care and have the best possible experience.
We know health inequalities exist in Wakefield District and that some people have different access, experience and outcomes. We want to reduce those differences and remove them entirely where possible. The organisation with statutory responsibility for assuring equality, diversity and inclusion in health and care commissioning and provision for West Yorkshire is the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
If you need any further information about our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, please email our equality team: wyicb-cal.equalityckw@nhs.net
NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS)
The Equality Delivery System (EDS) is a toolkit designed by the Department of Health to help NHS organisations to improve the services they provide for their local communities, consider health inequalities in their local area and provide better working environments that are free of discrimination, as set out in the Equality Act 2010. This work must include involvement and partnership working with local partners and local communities. The EDS helps NHS organisations meet their Public Sector Equality Duty.
Since its launch in 2011 the NHS Equality Delivery System 2 has been used across the partnership within the NHS to:
- assess our performance in addressing our Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) priorities
- provide opportunities for stakeholders to analyse our performance data and input into that assessment
- assist with identifying our EDI priorities for the future
- provide opportunities to work in partnership to deliver and assess those priorities consistently
In 2022 NHS England launched a new Equality Delivery System 22 framework. EDS 2022 is a tool designed for both NHS commissioners and NHS providers.
We remain committed to using the EDS frameworks to support consistent assessment and involvement of all our communities in our EDI work.
Within the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership it has been agreed that organisations will use the EDS2 to assess their performance for 2022 and will transition to EDS22 in 2023.
Read the Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership EDS2 Report 2022-2023.
Participating organisations have agreed that for EDS22 partners will work together to:
- share and compare data and information
- engage and involve stakeholders in EDS22 processes together
- peer review our assessment processes and outcomes to promote consistency of approach and score
- share and co-create the materials needed to implement the EDS22 to ensure effective use of our resources
For more information on our partnership approach please contact Kate Bell, Equality Lead, Calderdale, Wakefield and Kirklees – kate.bell5@nhs.net
