Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Introduction
We value the diversity of our local community and believe that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is central to the commissioning of modern, high quality health services focused on the patient.
The ICB understands the diverse needs of its population and is committed to reducing inequalities and improving the quality of health outcomes of its local communities. We recognise that equality is not about treating everybody the same. Instead, it is about ensuring that access to opportunities are available to all by taking account of people’s differing needs. We embrace diversity and seek to recognise and value differences through inclusion.
In this section, you will find information about:
- our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion
- equality impact and risk assessments (EIAs) and how they are used
- NHS mandated standards relating to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and
- how we report on EDI-related progress.
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act was introduced in 2010 to make it easier for people and organisations to understand discrimination law. The Act provides protection to groups of people who may be discriminated against because of certain characteristics they share; and provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. For further information, see Equality Act 2010.
The characteristics protected by the Equality Act (2010) are:
- Age
- Disability
- Sex
- Gender reassignment
- Sexual orientation
- Race
- Religion and/or belief
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Marriage and civil partnership
We also consider other vulnerable groups such as:
- Carers
- Military veterans
- Asylum seekers
- Refugees
- People from deprived areas
Not forgetting other groups that experience significant health inequalities such as those identified by the national Core20PLUS5 programme.
Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
LLR ICB is committed to:
- Eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act (2010)
- Advancing equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
- Foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
More information on the PSED can be found here.
Equality Impact Assessments/Equality Analysis
One of the main ways the Integrated Care Board (ICB) ensures meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is by undertaking an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA).
These help us to demonstrate we have considered the impact of policies, services and practices have on our patient population and our workforce, particularly those people with protected characteristics or those from inclusion health and vulnerable groups.
They also ensure our services are appropriate, equitable and accessible for everyone, nobody should be disadvantaged or discriminated against.
Equality Impact Assessments are completed for changes to a service, function or activity; newly commissioned or decommissioned services, commissioning reviews, financial decisions affecting staff, functions, services; policies (including workplace) and strategies.
Previous EIAs are listed in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report. EIAs are also available on request by emailing: llricb-llr.enquiries@nhs.net
We also have some good practice examples below.
Find out more about our work
Click on arrows below to read more. The headings are listed in alphabetical order.
Service providers across the NHS and adult social care system, are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The ICB is expected to give consideration to the duty and ensure that their providers are meeting this standard.
The Accessible Information Standard aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment, sensory loss, or varying communication need are provided with accessible information that they can easily read and understand or receive the support they require to be able to communicate effectively with health and social care services. When appropriate, AIS also applies to their carers and parents of service users.
Further information about the Accessible Information Standard can be found on the NHS England website
Information in other formats
For all of our work, if you would like information in another format, such as another language, Braille, audio or large print, please let us know by calling 07795 452827 or emailing LLRICB-LLR.beinvolved@nhs.net to discuss your requirements. Or you can write to us at
Freepost Plus RUEE–ZAUY–BXEG
LLR ICB
G30, Pen Lloyd Building
Leicestershire County Council
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Glenfield
Leicester
LE3 8TB
The ACE100 platform brings together examples of work that has made a real difference from every area within the health and social care space ranging from clinical examples all the way through to the many supporting teams such as operational and administrative functions. You can view all the current case studies that have made it into the ACE100 by visiting: www.ACE100.co.uk.
See the results of the LLR ICB 2023 staff survey
Particular equalities related results are found in questions:
Q13a-d relating to experiencing physical violence at work
Q14a-d relating to personally experiencing harassment, bullying and abuse at work
Q15 relating to acting fairly in career progression/ promotion regardless of protected characteristic
Q16c 1- 7 grounds for experiencing discrimination at work based on the protected characteristics
and Q17a-b relating to being a target of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature in the workplace
Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) & Workforce Disability Equality standard (WDES) are also found in the survey findings.
Analysing and comparing the 2022-3 and 2023-4 equalities staff survey data will be reported in the EDI Annual Report, NHS EDI Improvement Plan and Equality Delivery System by 30 March 2025.
In 2022, NHS England launched a new Equality Delivery System 2022 framework following a review of the existing EDS2 toolkit. EDS 2022 is designed for both NHS commissioners and NHS providers and places a heavier focus on partnership working between ICS system partners.
LLR ICB have pleasure in publishing the EDS report and results for the reporting period 2023-24 together with supporting evidence.
- LLR ICB Equality Delivery System Final Report 2023-24
- Appendix 2 Report on LLR System’s 2023-24 EDS Domain 1 Grading Results
- Appendix 3 EDS Grading event (Alt version) which includes a summary of evidence for Domain 2
- Appendix 4 Summary of evidence for Domain 2A
- Appendix 5 Summary of evidence for Domain 2 B
- Appendix 6 Summary of evidence for Domain 2C
- Appendix 7 Summary of evidence for Domain 2D
- Appendix 8 Summary of evidence for Domain 3A
- Appendix 9 Summary of evidence for Domain 3 B
- Appendix 10 Summary of evidence for Domain 3C
We have pleasure in presenting our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report for 2023-2024. The report demonstrates our compliance with the legal and mandated equalities duties including our proposed new specific and measurable Equality Objectives for 2024/25.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report 2023-2024
You can also view the 2022-2023 report:
We published our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy in April 2021 (as a combined Clinical Commissioning Group) covering the period up to 2025 recognising that although there would be changes when we became an Integrated Care Board, most of the work elements would still apply. We will review and develop a new approach in 2025 to how this information is presented and kept up to date.
The new approved Specific & Measurable Equality Objectives for 2024 -2025 can be found on page 24 of the Equality Diversity & Inclusion Annual report 2023-2024.
Since 31 March 2017 it became mandatory for all public sector employers with more than 250 employees to measure and publish their gender pay gap information. Since then, employers have had a responsibility to publish data annually.
Equal pay means that men and women in the same employment who are performing equal work must receive equal pay, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
The gender pay gap is a measure that shows the difference in average earnings between men and women across an organisation or the labour market.
Public bodies with 250 or more staff are required to publish gender pay gap information each year. This duty to publish will apply to ICBs from 30 March 2024. However, the published data will cover our workforce profile at 31 March 2023.
Listed below are a number of good practice Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs). We will be adding to these over the coming months.
- Equality, Health Inequality Impact and Risk Assessment (EHIIRA) Stage 1 – Neighbourhood Mental Health Cafes – Transition of Turning Point Contract to Integrated Care Board (ICB) Grant Scheme
- Equality, Health Inequality Impact and Risk Assessment (EHIIRA) Stage 1 – Alcohol Care Team (ACT) funding continuation
- Equality, Health Inequality Impact and Risk Assessment (EHIIRA) Stage 1 – Health, Care and Wellbeing Delivery Action Plan 2023 – 2025
- Equality, Health Inequality Impact and Risk Assessment (EHIIRA) Stage 2 – Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
- Inclusive Decision-Making Framework (IDMF) Equality Analysis for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Alcohol Care Team
- Inclusive Decision-Making Framework (IDMF) Equality Analysis for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Inequalities Hub
- Inclusive Decision-Making Framework (IDMF) Equality Analysis for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (pre-engagement) All Age Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy 2024/2025- 2028/2029
The ICB has a legal duty under the Health and Care Act (2022) to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services; and reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services. The Act also places duties on the ICB to promote the NHS Constitution, to enable choice, and to promote patient, carer and public involvement in shaping health services.
To do this effectively, the ICB works with its partner organisations to reduce health inequalities and embeds this requirement into its commissioning strategies and policies. The ICB is also required to demonstrate how it provides culturally sensitive services and ensures all patients can exercise choice and be involved in decision making.
Involving you in decisions about health and care means we can shape services around the needs of local people.
When you share your insight and experiences, you’re helping us to improve the quality of care locally and the health and wellbeing of people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. It also helps us to ensure people make better, more informed use of health services.
In most cases, on a separate form, we ask you about your age, gender identity, race, sex, sexual orientation or whether you have a disability for example. This is called Equality Monitoring. It is entirely up to you if you answer these questions but without this information it makes it harder to plan and shape our services.
There are strict laws (Data Protection Act 2018) to make sure that organisations protect the information that they collect and deal with it responsibly. We want you to feel confident that we will keep the equality monitoring information that you give us confidential and only use it to make improvements.
Read what we have done and how to get involved with future engagement activities.
Please find these documents on the publications page of our website.
The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) was introduced in April 2019 as a mandated data collection for NHS provider trusts. The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) is a set of ten specific measures (metrics) which enables NHS organisations to compare the workplace and career experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff. NHS organisations use the metrics data to develop and publish an action plan. Year on year comparison enables NHS organisations to demonstrate progress against the indicators of disability equality to create the cultures of belonging and trust that will improve retention, recruit from the widest possible talent pool and provide sustainable careers. At the time of writing this is not a mandated requirement for ICBs, but we have completed it on a voluntary basis.
WDES Report 2022-23 (published December 2023)
The WRES was introduced in 2015 to focus national and local effort in ensuring staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have equal access to career opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace.
The WRES prompts inquiry and assists participating organisations to develop and implement evidence-based responses to the challenges their data reveals.
The main purpose of the WRES is:
- to help local, and national, NHS organisations (and other organisations providing NHS services) to review their data against the nine WRES indicators,
- to produce an action plan to close the gaps in workplace experience between white and ethnic minority staff, and,
- to improve ethnic minority representation at the Board level of the organisation.
The WRES will ensure that all healthcare staff are treated fairly and with respect, which will have a positive impact on patient care.
This YouTube video from NHS England highlights the leadership commitment given to the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard.
For more information, please visit NHS England Workforce Race Equality Standard.
At the time of writing this is not a mandated requirement for ICBs, but we have completed it on a voluntary basis.
The term “BME” is used throughout this report to mirror the wording of the WRES guidance produced by the NHS. However, this term is becoming less used in favour of more inclusive language which does not combine all minority ethnic groups together. At the ICB, we will shortly be having a ‘big conversation’ with our staff about what we use when describing ethnicity going forwards (July 2024).
WRES Report 2022-23 (published December 2023)