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Equality Evidence
NHS South of England officially came into being on Monday 3 October 2011, joining three Strategic Health Authorities, NHS South Central, NHS South East Coast and NHS South West as a single cluster. The 10 Strategic Health Authorities in England are forming four clusters for a transitional period. This will ensure that the organisations can continue to improve performance and deliver NHS reforms. From 31 March 2013, the Strategic Health Authorities will be succeeded by a new NHS Commissioning Board, working with local Clinical Commissioning Groups.
On the 6th April 2011 the Equality Act came into effect. This Act combined all the duties incumbent on public bodies, originally found in a number of previous statutes, into one single duty. It also extended the application of the duties to new protected characteristics. Characteristics covered by the duty include:
- Age
- Sexual orientation
- Gender reassignment
- Sex
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Disabled people
- Marriage and civil partnership.
The General Duty sets out key elements that all public authorities must consider, or have due regard to, when carrying out their functions. These are:
- Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited under the Act
- Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it
- Foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
The Equality Act 2010 is supported by specific duties, set out in regulations which came into force on 10 September 2011. The specific duties require public bodies to publish relevant and proportionate information demonstrating their compliance with the Equality Duty; and to set themselves specific, measurable equality objectives.
In developing an Equality and Diversity Strategy for the clustered South of England we will ensure there is consolidation and collaboration of equality and diversity activities to maximise shared capacity and resources. Each Strategic Health Authority will also undertake to fulfil its own statutory responsibilities.
Equality Objectives will be set in time for the business planning process for the coming year 2012/13 based on existing and revised published information. Each Strategic Health Authority is publishing its evidence separately but we will be aligning equality priorities and objectives for the whole of NHS South of England. Equality evidence to demonstrate that South Central is carrying out its responsibilities is contained in the attached document.
Evidence
South Central Strategic Health Authority evidence
South East Coast Strategic Health Authority evidence
South West Strategic Health Authority evidence
