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Equality,Diversity & Inclusion
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
As part of our ongoing commitment to Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion (EDI), West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) have
introduced a single equality scheme and action plan, which
encompasses our ongoing commitment and activities to all the
equality strands.
The Trust has fully endorsed and adopted the Equality Delivery
System (EDS) framework. The EDS has been designed as an NHS product
to deliver better outcomes for patients, comply with the Equality
Act 2010 (particularly the public sector Equality Duty) ensuring
services, work places are personal, fair, diverse with equality of
opportunity and treatment for all.
By the Trust adopting the EDS framework effectively it should
help the Trust to start the analysis that is required by section
149 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the public sector equality duty”) in
a way that promotes localism and also helps the Trust deliver on
the NHS Outcomes Framework, the NHS Constitution and the Human
Resources Transition framework. In delivering on the EDS ‘it will
help our Trust to meet Care Quality Commission’s essential
standards of Quality and Safety.’
The Trust is working towards delivering a Single Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion strategy, which looks at delivering our
duties around the Equality Act 2010. Therefore the Trust is
committed to the following four strategic EDI objectives:
1. Better health outcomes for all
2. Improved patient access and experience
3. Empowered, engaged and included staff
4. Inclusive leadership at all levels
WMAS will be working with all the following categories of
protected characteristic groups, which include
- Age
- Disability
- Gender Reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and Maternity
- Race including nationality and ethnicity
- Religion and Belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- As well as, seldom heard groups
It is an exciting time for the Trust, as we are aligning our
single equality scheme which encompasses our commitment around the
Equality and Diversity agenda to a single alone mainstreamed
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy. The strategy will
formulate into a new working, living document which is managed and
overseen by the Trust’s internal Equality Delivery Performance
Working group, which reports to the Workforce Development
Committee, which directly reports to the Trust Board. The Trust’s
commitment around sustainable and effective engagement will be at
the heart of the strategy, which will demonstrate patients,
community members and volunteer’s involvement as well as staff
involvement. We see engagement with all key stakeholder as an
opportunity to plan, develop and manage services, the way ‘you’
want them delivered, with the overall aim to improve health and
reduce health inequalities. Staff engagement is integral in
ensuring we plan, develop and manage working environments and
actively aim to improve working lives.
The Trust would like to be informed of what we need to do better or
differently, we would like to hear your thoughts on our single
equality scheme and how we can improve our services for patients,
staff, volunteers and the local community within the west midlands
region. Our ambition is to deliver a personal and fair service,
which translates into the Trust’s Equality, Diversity &
Inclusion strategy 2011- 2015.
Click here for
our Single Equality Scheme document.