Equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality Delivery System 2024

Equality Delivery System 2024 (previously referred to as EDS3) is an improvement tool that can assist with improving equality and equity for both patients and staff within the NHS, through action plans based on the collection and assessment of evidence. All NHS organisations are expected to use the EDS to help them improve their equality performance for patients, communities and staff, as well as helping them to meet the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

Read the latest Equality Delivery System report.

Our strategy for promoting equality and tacking inequality reflects changes in the national, regional and local health policy context, along with a renewed focus on health and workplace inequalities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the heart of our strategy, we aim to enable values-based cultural change in which equality, diversity and inclusion become part of everything we do and is embedded at every level of our organisation. Our ongoing work will be underpinned by the principles of effective leadership, partnership, collaboration and enablement.

The full strategy and an accompanying summary infographic can be viewed at the links below.

• Promoting Equality and Tacking Inequality Strategy
• Promoting Equality and Tacking Inequality Strategy Infographic

As a public authority, we show due regard to our general duty under the Equality Act 2010 by completing Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) for all key strategies and policies that are being developed or revised. 

We engage with a range of formal and informal networks and forums on all key developments which impact on our workforce and service users. These include our Joint Staff Consultative Committee, staff-side representatives and our staff networks.

CLCH uses a range of benchmarking initiatives to monitor and improve its progress on equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Key benchmarking initiatives adopted by CLCH include:

1. NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) - Measures annual progress of an organisation on race equality,  - with a view to close the gap between the experiences of White and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff through action plans and improve BME representation at Board level.
2. Equality Delivery System (EDS2) -  A performance improvement tool developed by NHS England to help ensure services for local communities and employment practices within the NHS are inclusive and meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. The four goals of the EDS2 are Better Health Outcomes, Improved Patient Access and Experience, a representative and supported workforce, and Inclusive Leadership. 
3. NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) - The WDES is a set of specific measures (metrics) that will enable NHS organisations to compare the experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff. This information will then be used by organisations to develop a local action plan, and enable them to demonstrate progress against the indicators of disability equality. 
4. Stonewall Workplace Equality Index -This is a voluntary benchmarking standard developed by Stonewall to review an organisation's progress around supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+) staff.
5. Gender,  Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Report - The Pay Gap is analysed using 6 different measures: Mean Pay Gap, Median Pay Gap, Mean Bonus Pay Gap, Median Bonus Pay Gap, Bonus Proportions, Quartile Pay Band.
6. Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) Report - This annually produced report includes information on the Trust’s patients and employees, analysed by protected characteristics and shows how the Trust has sought to minimise disadvantage, meet the needs of protected groups and encourage their participation in decision-making, both in service delivery and employment.

We are delighted announced that we have been awarded with a Veteran Aware accreditation.

The Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) is a funded NHS programme established to ensure that all NHS healthcare providers achieve Veteran Aware accreditation by the end of 2023. Veteran Aware hospitals and trusts are exemplars of the best care for veterans in the NHS.

The VCHA aim to share good practice amongst NHS hospitals and trusts that have volunteered to drive improvements in NHS care for people who serve or have served in the UK Armed Forces and their families.

Veteran Aware Accreditation will ensure we as a Trust provide equity for veterans and their families in line with the commitments set out in the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC). The Covenant will soon be enshrined into the Armed Forces Bill 2021 and will be a legislative requirement for NHS healthcare providers.

The VCHA provides a mechanism for a group of healthcare providers to:

• Identify and showcase the best standards of care for UK Armed Forces veterans
• Drive implementation of proven practice in the treatment and care of veterans across the UK.
• All VCHA members will be committed to the twin underlying principles of the Covenant which covers the whole UK Armed Forces community, including those serving in the Armed Forces (regular and reserve), those who have served, and service families.

The Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the areas where they live in the provision of public and commercial services.

For further information, please contact Dominic Mundy: dominic.mundy@nhs.net.

Support available:​

1.  Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

Op COURAGE is a NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, armed forces veterans and their families.

Op COURAGE can help you and your family with a range of support and treatment, including:

• Helping you transition from military to civilian life by providing mental health care with Defence Medical Services
• Helping you recognise and treat early signs of mental health problems, as well as more advanced mental health conditions and psychological trauma
• Providing support and treatment for substance misuse and addictions
• Helping you to access other NHS mental health services if you need them, such as finding an NHS talking therapies service and eating disorder services
• Liaising with charities and local organisations to support your wider health and wellbeing needs, such as help with housing, relationships, finances and employment
• Supporting armed forces families affected by mental health problems, including helping them to access local services.

Who will I speak to?

Op COURAGE is an NHS service supported by trained professionals who are from, or have experience of working with, the Armed Forces community.

This service can help if you’re finding life difficult after leaving the military. Working together with Armed Forces charities, Op COURAGE will help you get the right type of specialist care, support and treatment for your specific needs.

2.  Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)

London has two funded Defence Medical Welfare Service officers who provide support in securing funding for home improvements, hospital transport, wheelchairs, low wellbeing, financial support, employment, housing, benefits and social isolation.

How to contact the officers:

Veteran, serving, reservists: Contact Matt Evans on: mevans@dmws.org.uk 07789 978894 (Based out of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust).

Family of serving, veteran, reservists: Contact Vikki Elliott:  Velliott@dmws.org.uk, 07585 124427 (Based out of Camden and Islington NHS Trust).

​​​​​​