The Equality Delivery System (EDS) is a tool that has been developed by the NHS for use by organisations that commission and provide NHS services. We use the EDS in partnership with patients, the public and staff to review our equality performance and to identify future priorities and actions.

The EDS consists of four goals:

1. Better health outcomes for all

2. Improved patient access and experience

3. Empowered, engaged and included staff

4. Inclusive leadership at all levels

The goals are underpinned by 18 outcomes.  The aim is to achieve equality in these outcomes across the nine characteristics protected by the Equality Act, i.e. age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy/ maternity, marriage/ civil partnership, religion/ belief, race, sex, and sexual orientation.

In line with the national guidelines for the EDS a robust assessment of evidence has been undertaken by the Equality Leads drawing on evidence that is collected for the Care Quality Commission and other sources of information such as surveys of patient and staff experience and workforce reports.  The Trust also facilitated engagement workshops with patients, staff and the local community groups, covering all protected characteristics to:

• Inform patients and local communities of the EDS and how their input can help shape and deliver the best solutions to meet the needs of our communities
• Involve patients and local communities in the development of the EDS objectives
• Help us assess where we are as an organisation by analysing the evidence and grading our performance

Following this the grades were finalised by the Board. A summary of the grades is listed in the table below

Undeveloped	Developing	Achieving	Excelling
1	14	3	0

 

A full report detailing the grades for each of the outcomes along with the supporting evidence can be downloaded here.

A requirement of both the Public Sector Equality Duty and the EDS is to publish equality objectives. The Trust's Equality Objectives can be found here