Equality and Diversity

Equality and diversity at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Welcome
On this page you can find a range of information about our implementation of the NHS Equality Delivery System and our response to the Equality Act (2010) duties. 

Our legal responsibilities

The Equality Act (2010) says that public authorities (which include foundation trusts) must do several things. 
There is a three-fold general duty to,

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act;
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it; and
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

There are also specific duties to:

• Publish information to show our compliance with the (general) Equality Duty, at least annually
• Set and publish equality objectives, at least every four years.

We want to go much further than just meeting out legal obligations. For everyone at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust equality is at the heart of what we do.

Our response
The best place to start is to read our summary document which sets out the background to the Equality Act and explains our self-assessment.

You will also find information inside about the Equality Delivery System an assessment of our development needs and our initial ideas for next year’s objectives.

Evidence
We have a wide range of detailed evidence and information. These are organised into the following areas:
a. The combined gradings outcomes from b and c that give Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s self assessment.
b. The Equality Delivery System gradings manual for Suffolk Mental  Health Partnership NHS Trust.
c. The Equality Delivery System gradings manual for Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
d. Our workforce analyses for Norfolk and Waveney
e. Our workforce analysis for Suffolk.
f. Our staff equality survey for Norfolk and Waveney
g. Our staff equality survey for Suffolk
h. Links to our equality assessments for policies and services.
http://www.smhp.nhs.uk/Information/EqualityandDiversity/EqualityImpactAssessmentsEIAs.aspx
http://www.nwmhft.nhs.uk/AboutUs/Equality-and-Diversity/Equality-Impact-Assessments/
i. Links to other reports and supporting information
http://www.smhp.nhs.uk/Information/EqualityandDiversity.aspx

For further information please contact robert.nesbitt@nsft.nhs.uk

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on our draft equality objectives.  We have taken your views into account and you can read our final objectives in this document.

Our approach