Equality Impact Assessment Template 1
What is being Equality Impact Assessed?
NHS Kirklees Organisational Development Plan Prompt: (Service plan, policy, strategy (new or revised), process, decisions or other public functions)
2
Description of the function being Equality Impact Assessed:
The Organisational Development Plan sets out the key development requirements of NHS Kirklees in order to meet the outcomes identified in the Strategic Plan and also in order to become an effective commissioning organisation (based on the DH WCC Competencies). In particular, the Plan addresses the capacity and capabilities that are required by staff and the type of culture that will need to be developed to achieve this. In addition, it identifies the underpinning service strategies that need to be embedded and systems and processes that underpin these. Prompt: What is the aim of this function and who are the recipients of this proposal?
3
Lead contact person for the Equality Impact Assessment:
Sue Ellis, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development
4
Who else is involved in undertaking this Equality Impact Assessment:
Karen Gallagher, Assistant Director of Organisational Development The Organisational Development Plan is owned by the NHS Kirklees Trust Board who will sign off this piece of work and the Organisational Development Group will monitor it’s evaluation and implementation.
5
Sources of information used to identify barriers etc
(Prompts: service delivery equality data, satisfaction surveys, complaints, local demographics, national or local research & statistics, anecdotal.)
What does your research tell you about the impact your proposal will have on the following equality groups? BME Groups: NHS Kirklees is currently not fully representative of the community it services in Kirklees.
1
A key part of the Organisational Development plan is to ensure that we have the right capacity and capability in place. Actions taken to continue to resolve this include, holding careers fairs in local schools to encourage people to consider a career within the NHS, Slivers of Time project, and are exploring the potential of apprenticeships within NHS Kirklees. Access to work programmes and links with local job centres and communities, ensuring that skills for jobs are appropriately identified. We recognise that within Kirklees overall students from the largest minority ethnic group, Pakistani origin, performed below the Kirklees average at KS1, 2 and 3. This persisted up to KS4 where students of Pakistani origin were least likely to achieve the 5 + GCSEs at grade A*-C, and therefore programmes of work which can help support students to access both learning and development and careers which support this are going to benefit individuals, the community and NHS Kirklees. NHS Kirklees has also recently invested in a dedicated Workforce Data Analyst to support the Assistant Director of Workforce Development. This will ensure we have the correct level of data to enable us to focus on the right areas and address these more appropriately There is a clear equal opportunities policy underpinning our recruitment and selection training, which will ensure that a review of applicants is undertaken to assess our equal opportunities so that we can determine whether or not we are receiving applications. The organisation actively encourages access onto NHS Leadership Programmes, including those specifically developed for people from underrepresented groups. Staff have access onto the BME Mentoring Programme. With the development of new estate NHS Kirklees ensures that appropriate space is provided for prayer rooms etc. Due to the specialist requirements of asylum seekers within Kirklees the organisation has maintained it’s role as an employer for the Whitehouse Centre (GP practice). This ensures that the correct support and services are available for dispersed asylum seekers to meet their particular and unique needs. (Prompt: Black African and Caribbean, Mixed Heritage, South Asian, Chinese, Irish, new Migrant, Asylum & Refugee, Gypsy & Travelling communities)
Disability Groups: In addition to the above, NHS Kirklees has achieved the positive two tick symbol indicating positive recruitment for people with disabilities. NHS Kirklees proactively works to support employees with disabilities and our recruitment process ensures that anyone who identifies themselves as having a disability and who meets the person specification will be guaranteed an interview. The annual staff survey helps us to identify the numbers of people working within the organisation with a disability, their specific needs and whether these are being met. In addition, we have recently undertaken an employee data cleansing exercise. This has enabled individuals to indicate whether they believe they are disabled so that this can be monitored and appropriate action taken, for example, making reasonable adjustments to the workplace.
2
NHS Kirklees is due to relocate to new HQ and as part of the procurement the building will be fully compliant with the DDA. The organisation has also delivered a series of stress awareness workshops to enable managers to be aware of this important aspect. In addition, a service level agreement is in place for occupational health services which includes access to timely counselling services and who use the Healthy Workplace Standards to underpin their service. (Prompt: Learning Disabilities or Difficulties, Physical, Visual, Hearing disabilities and people with long term conditions such Diabetes, Cancer, Stroke, Heart Disease etc.
Gender: A high proportion of NHS Kirklees employees are female. As such it has a long established and embedded policy for flexible working. This has included term time only working, flexible working and out of hours (available to all staff). All employees have access to the Child/Adult Care Support Services who provide advise on a range of carer issues. Policies are updated regularly with our staff side representatives to ensure that they take into account any changes to legislation and represent best practice. Employment law workshops are held bi-annually to ensure that all leaders are aware of our requirements from them. (Prompt: Female, Male &Transgender issues should be considered)
Age: As well as flexible working programmes the organisation has introduced a flexible retirement procedure that enables staff to continue working past the national retirement age. This can be facilitated on a range of flexible working options. Career development occurs in schools and the organisation is currently developing a procedure to support work placements for students from local schools and colleges so that they have an understanding of the NHS, but also the range of roles that can be accessed. (Prompt: Older people & Young People issues should be considered)
Sexual Orientation: Policies are updated regularly with our staff side representatives to ensure that they take into account any changes to legislation and represent best practice. Employment law workshops are held bi-annually to ensure that all leaders are aware of our requirements from them. (Prompt: Heterosexual, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian groups are included in this category)
Religion & Belief: Policies are updated regularly with our staff side representatives to ensure that they take into account any changes to legislation and represent best practice. Employment law workshops are held bi-annually to ensure that all leaders are aware of our requirements from them. With the development of new estate NHS Kirklees ensures that appropriate space is provided for prayer rooms etc. (Prompt: Main faith groups and people with no belief or philosophical belief issues should be considered)
3
6 Consultation: New or Previous: Consultation and communication occurs through our Staff Representatives and also through the PPI representatives on NHS Kirklees Board. When recruiting to posts all externally advertised jobs are advertised on the NHS jobs website with the local vacancy bulletin being circulated to all local job centres and community groups. We are keen to encourage links with both local schools, colleges and universities, offering placements as highlight above. NHS Kirklees has committed to ensuring that all staff receive development so that they achieve a minimum education level of NVQ level 2, which will support those staff joining NHS Kirklees with fewer qualification and can be an added bonus for working with us. Communications needs to be service user focused and centred, so that individuals have the information they need to make informed choices about their care and are able to influence the development of services. We will also seek out ways to work with our partners, such as Kirklees Council, on new social marketing techniques to proactively influence and effect changes in people’s behaviours on public health issues and health choices. A joint Marketing Board now oversees campaigns and social marketing across the organisation and Council. NHS Kirklees is committed to actively involving and working in partnership with the public and service users to design, review, monitor and deliver quality services to meet their needs. NHS Kirklees has a number of key service change priorities which will continue to benefit from service user, carer and public involvement and engagement ,as well as formal consultation processes. We are working to develop a number of key messages for our different stakeholders. For further detail please see the Communications Plan.
7 Assessment and Actions needed Prompt: Your EIA should promote the General Equality Duty; Eliminating Discrimination, Promote Equality of Opportunity, Promote Good Relations & Demonstrating Equity
Location of Organisational Barriers Geographical location
Assumption of normality / description of barrier NA
Built environment
NA
Action needed
Responsibility
Deadline
4
Action needed
Responsibility
Deadline
Links with Kirklees Council where formal minority groups are established eg Lesbian and Gay group.
Helena Corder
June 2009
Talent management and leadership programmes need to support and encourage minority groups to take up development opportunities To be met within current budget limits
Promotion of talent management/pdr processes/BME Leadership programmes
Karen Gallagher
Ongoin g
All staff are required to undertake diversity training and customer service training
All training programmes to support the organisational development plan must also seek to integrate the impact of diversity
Liz Butterfield
Ongoin g
Location of Organisational Barriers Information and communication
Assumption of normality / description of barrier Through our partnership relationships we can strive to support our staff from minority groups
Timing
NA
Involvement in Planning
Costs of the service
Customer Care and Staff training
Stereotypes and Assumptions
Involvement in Planning
Specific Issues/ Barriers
5
8 Methods of Monitoring progress on Actions Electronic Staff Record allows HR to monitor workforce statistics. HR also monitor casework to identify any patterns or inappropriate outcomes ATL (automated training log), e-KSF (knowledge skills framework), NHS Jobs allows us to monitor recruitment applicants, those shortlisted and those successful. The staff survey allows NHS Kirklees to address levels of allegations of discrimination, how it is perceived and dealt with and bullying.
9 Publishing the Equality Impact Assessment To be included as part of “Ambitions for a Healthy Kirklees” – our Organisational Development Plan
10 Signing off Equality Impact Assessment: Sue Ellis Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development
6