Equality impact assessment: health and social care statutory guidance refresh

2. Stage 1: Framing

Results of framing exercise

Output from the framing exercise is detailed in the previous section of this report. Reflecting on the output of the framing exercise, some further general conclusions on resourcing and planning can be made.

Other than the internal human resource costs involved in progressing the work, the programme of work will only have a budget for publishing and communications.

As the programme of work relates to IA planning and reporting, it will cut across various other policy and service areas, such as financial planning, workforce planning and service delivery. Therefore, there is potential for the policy to impact on individuals’ access to services and it could indirectly inadvertently disadvantage people.

However, the proposed programme of work also offers an opportunity to encourage greater consideration of the equality duty and mitigation of inequalities in IAs’ approach to the strategic commissioning of health and social care services and is therefore an opportunity to embed good practice and inspire improvement.

Extent/Level of EQIA required

Given the potential indirect impact of revised guidance on a wide range of individuals and groups, as outlined throughout this report, it is highly likely that the programme of work will have an impact on people with each of the protected characteristics. A full Equalities Impact Assessment is therefore considered necessary.

As part of the proposed work programme, a Short Life Working Group composed of key partners (including people who use services) will be convened to input into revising the guidance and revised guidance will go through the public consultation process. All evidence noted in stage 2 is therefore subject to further engagement with key partners, which will be a useful process for further substantiating research with qualitative information.

In conducting the Equalities Impact Assessment, officials are conscious of the multi-faceted nature of peoples’ identities and the compounding disadvantage that multiple, intersecting characteristics may produce. An approach centred on intersectionality has therefore been adopted.