Equality Delivery System 2022

The Equality Delivery System (EDS) is a system that helps NHS organisations improve the services they provide for their local communities and provide better working environments, free of discrimination, for those who work in the NHS, while meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.  The EDS was developed by the NHS, for the NHS, taking inspiration from existing work and good practice.

Background to the EDS

The EDS was first launched for the NHS in November 2011. In November 2012, Shared Intelligence published their report ‘Evaluation of the equality delivery system for the NHS’ which looked at how the EDS had been adopted across NHS organisations. Based on this evaluation and subsequent engagement with the NHS and key stakeholders, a refreshed EDS – known as EDS2 – was made available in November 2013.

A review of the EDS2 was undertaken to incorporate system changes and take account of the new system architecture. Through collaboration and co-production and taking into account the impact of COVID-19, the EDS has been updated and EDS 2022 is now available for live testing during 2022/23.

The main purpose of the EDS was, and remains, to help local NHS systems and organisations, in discussion with local partners and local populations, review and improve their performance for people with characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. By using the EDS 2022, NHS organisations can also be helped to deliver on the Public Sector Equality Duty.

EDS 2022 is aligned to NHS England’s Long Term Plan and its commitment to an inclusive NHS that is fair and accessible to all. The EDS 2022 suite of documents and supporting resources are available at the bottom of this page.

EDS 2022: Obligations on NHS Commissioners and Providers

EDS 2022 is a generic system designed for both NHS commissioners and NHS providers. As different systems apply EDS 2022 outcomes to their performance, NHS organisations should do so with regard to their specific roles and responsibilities.

EDS 2022 implementation by NHS provider organisations is mandatory in the NHS Standard Contract. EDS 2022 implementation will continue to be a key requirement for all NHS commissioners. Detailed information on how to implement EDS 2022 is contained in the EDS 2022 Technical Guidance.

EDS 2022 reporting template

Implementation of EDS 2022 is a requirement of both NHS commissioners and NHS provider organisations. In light of the inclusion of EDS 2022 in the NHS standard contract, NHS organisations should use the EDS 2022 reporting template to produce and publish a summary of their findings and implementation.

The EDS 2022 reporting template is designed to give an overview of the organisation’s most recent EDS implementation. Once completed, the report should be accessible to the public, and published on the organisation’s website.

EDS 2022 documents and guidance

EDS 2022 Technical Guidance
EDS 2022 Reporting Template
EDS 2022 Domain 1 Case Study Template
EDS 2022 Domain 2 Case Study Template
EDS 2022 Ratings and Score Card guidance