Equality, diversity and health inequalities

Each year public bodies, subject to section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and the specific equality duties, are required to publish equality information. Every 4 years, public bodies subject to these duties are also required to publish equality objectives. We are pleased to publish our equality objectives for April 2016 to March 2020 and our equality information for January 2016 to January 2017.

We have given careful consideration to the guidance and advice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) since 2014, when we last published our equality objectives. This year, we have taken a little additional time, to publish our equality objectives and our equality information as part of a more comprehensive report than in previous years.   By bringing together the publication of our equality objectives and equality information in a single more comprehensive report, we hope to:

  • promote a better understanding of our equality objectives and what NHS England is seeking to achieve in pursuance of the public sector Equality Duty (PSED);
  • encourage feedback about our equality objectives from key stakeholders;
  • provide information about key developments and initiatives in relation to the PSED;
  • promote greater transparency and greater accountability;
  • secure greater understanding across NHS England of developments in relation to the PSED;
  • better address the advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on the development of SMARTER equality objectives.

We will continue to work internally, and in partnership with colleagues within the Department of Health and the wider NHS, to ensure that advancing equality and diversity is central to how we conduct our business as an organisation.

Equality analysis of principal functions

In January 2012, the Board Authority published an equality analysis of its principal functions, which concluded that its establishment was unlikely to impact negatively on patients, the public or staff sharing protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act. However, there were excellent opportunities to advance equality in the design of future NHS England functions, embedding fairness and equity in its establishment from the outset.

NHS England response to the specific duties of the Equality Act

Read the Memorandum of Understanding Between The Government Equalities Office and The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England On the role of the National Adviser on LGBT Health.

Equality objectives 2023/24 and 2024/25