Equalities
Find out how our Equalities and Planning Directorate works to support NHS Scotland in eliminating discrimination and promoting equality.
Promoting equality
The Equalities and Planning Directorate helps deliver real change, eliminate discrimination and promote equality.
Established in 2008, the Directorate combines and builds on the work of six previously separate Fair for All projects. We provide support to NHS Boards with their work on delivering gender, age, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, religion, disability and race equality.
The Equalities and Planning Directorate is made up of three teams: the Equalities Support team, the Equalities Development team and the Planning and Performance team.
The Equalities Support team has undertaken an equality and diversity benchmarking exercise to develop a national picture of the status of equality and diversity delivered by the NHS in Scotland. This exercise took place across Scottish health boards from November 2008 to February 2009.
The Big Picture 2009
The subsequent final report, The Big Picture 2009: A review of progress on equality in the NHS in Scotland, will help to form a wider picture of progress across the equality strands and a more efficient and coordinated approach to equality and diversity. It also adds value to health boards individually and collectively by identifying areas where further support and development is needed, building on the good work that has taken place over the past six years.
The high level reports from the first wave and second wave of the exercise are also available.
NHS Scotland's Translation, Interpreting and Communication Support Strategy
NHS Health Scotland is now working with a wide range of partners to implement an NHS Scotland Translation, Interpreting and Communications Support (TICS) Strategy to support NHS Boards to achieve effective communication between services and service users who have language and communication support needs. These needs are answered by translation, interpreting and communication support services provided by Boards to relevant individuals and communities.
We are currently carrying out an Equality Impact Assessment of the Translation, Interpreting and Communication Support Strategy and would like your feedback. The closing date for the consultation is Friday 29th January 2010.
The Equality Bill 2009
Following extensive consultation, the Equality Bill sets out the future vision of equalities within the UK and places public bodies at its heart. The Equalities and Planning Directorate welcomes the Equality Bill and the strengthening of existing equalities legislation, which aims to provide greater consistency and access to protection across different groups of people. This also avoids the potential risk of a ‘hierarchy of rights’ emerging in the UK.
View our summary of the Equality Bill.
Find out what NHS Health Scotland is doing to promote equality in its work.
Last reviewed 1st February 2010