Equality Impact assessments provide a systematic way to ensure legal obligations are met and are also a practical way of examining new and existing, policies, and practices to determine what effect they may have on equality for those affected by the outcomes. This page contains frequently asked questions on equality impact
assessments.
How do equality impact assessments relate to my race / disability / gender equality schemes?
How will equality impact assessments help me improve my service?
What are the benefits of Equality Impact Assessments
Can I build the equality impact assessment into my existing systems and processes?
Do I have to impact assess existing functions as well as new functions and policies?
How do I know if a function or policy is relevant to EqIA?
How will EqIA's help me review and improve my service?
How do I embed equality impact assessments into the culture of the organisation?
Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, you are required to produce and publish a Race Equality Scheme. From 4th December 2006, under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, you will be required to produce a Disability Equality Scheme. Additionally, from April 2007 under the Equality Act 2006, you will be required to produce a Gender Equality Scheme.
Organisations will need to include information in their scheme(s) about what arrangements they have put in place to positively promote policy, practice and service delivery in respect of these areas. The policies / practices / services to be reviewed will need to be prioritised in order of relevance, and a timetable should be drawn up for the assessments to be completed within the lifetime of the scheme(s).
EqIA’s are an opportunity to promote inclusive, and fair, service delivery and employment practices. EqIA’s will help organisations deliver services that are accessible and which meet the varied needs of their staff and service users. In its simplest form the EqIA process can be seen as a foundation tool for measuring the effect of policy and practice on people and should encourage greater openness about policy making.
EqIA’s will help organisations:
- Consider the needs, circumstances, and experiences of the people (staff and service users) who will be affected by the main functions and policies.
- Identify inequalities in outcomes; including unlawful discrimination, which can be real or potential.
- Consider other ways of delivering a service, or achieving the aims of the policy, so that the impact is removed or minimised.
The benefits from carrying out EqIA are many. The EqIA process will help to avoid claims of unlawful discrimination, as it provides a framework that ensures the NHS meets its legislative duties with regard to policy development and implementation. The process helps organisations to anticipate problems and make informed decisions.
EqIA’s enable organisations to demonstrate core values and leadership through:
- embedding equality and diversity in all its strategies, policy development and service delivery.
- ensuring the principles and values of the organisation are inclusive.
- demonstrating openness, partnership and participation.
- addressing the needs of communities through listening to people.
- actively promoting equal opportunities, equality and respect for diversity.
- developing good and best practice.
- enabling a change management process that will guide the journey from 'where we are now to where we want to be.
Yes. EqIA’s must be undertaken through both the development and implementation stage of policies and practice. They must also be reviewed at regular stages throughout implementation, in order to ensure that they continue to promote equality.
As soon as an organisation knows that it has to develop a policy or proposal for an area of service delivery, it should establish whether this is relevant to equality. This is the first stage of an EqIA. If it is relevant, a full impact assessment will be needed.
It’s important that the process starts at the point where the aims and objectives are being decided. Time needs to be factored into the development of any policy, or service, for undertaking an impact assessment. This will ensure that the potential for impact on people is considered from the outset.
Yes. As well as the requirement to impact assess new functions and policies, NHS organisations will also have existing arrangements which will need to be assessed. All current policies, processes and functions must be continuously monitored and reviewed for relevance and checked for their impact.
The difference between assessing present policies and assessing future policies, is that existing information about the implementation of a present policy should indicate any adverse impact.
This first stage of an EqIA should include asking:
- what is the purpose of the proposed function or policy?
- who is affected by it?
- who is the policy intended to benefit, and how?
- is there any evidence that groups have different needs, experiences and priorities in relation to this particular proposal?
- is there any evidence that the proposal could lead to any quantitative or qualitative differences in impact on certain groups?
- does the proposal provide an opportunity to promote equality of opportunity and good relations more effectively?
- is any additional information needed to help reach an informed decision?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then a full impact assessment should be undertaken. If it is considered that the proposal is not relevant to equality, then it would be advisable to get sign-off to this effect. This will be necessary if, for example, the decision is questioned in the future.
Other considerations may include:
- how this relates to the strategic vision of the organisation.
• identification of who will own the function or policy and how involvement, consultation and partnership working will be managed.
- presentation, language and accessibility of the policy.
- determination of any environmental factors which are significant.
- information about the service or policy provided by staff, service users and / or members of the public.
- if it has the potential to impact on certain groups differently.
- whether any groups may have particular needs.
- if it will provide an opportunity to promote equality of opportunity and good relations, or whether this could be hindered.
EqIA’s that are included as a component part of performance management, change management programmes and improvement cycles, will contribute to organisational development. EqIA’s enable organisations to assess the effectiveness, appropriateness and consequences of its policy implementation and therefore help to steer future direction.
The following should be considered:
- the development of an overarching equality strategy, that is subject to regular review, to guide policy development and the ensuing EqIA’s.
• leading by example - through taking action to ensure that equality and diversity are integrated into all policies and practices.
• development of a comprehensive and inclusive HR strategy. This should include recruitment, retention and development of a diverse workforce and collect authoritative data.
• undertaking a review of consultation and involvement processes to ensure that capacity is built to engage the public - particularly those relevant to minority groups.
• consider the use of needs assessment and participatory appraisal methods as tools in the development of community-based solutions.
• compile and publicise an annual report on the progress of the equality strategy and the outcomes of consultations, including impact assessments.