NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS)
The Equality Delivery System (EDS) was designed for the NHS and was made available to the NHS on 10 November 2011.
The NHS has been sponsored and supported by the Equality and Diversity Council (EDC) to develop the EDS for the NHS. Work on the EDS was initiated by the EDC in early 2010. The EDC is a sub-committee of the NHS Management Board. Sir David Nicholson, the NHS Chief Executive, chairs both groups.
The EDC was established in 2009 and includes Director Generals of the Department of Health, representatives from each strategic health authority and other interests. The EDC supports NHS staff and organisations to work closely with the communities they serve to deliver services that are personal, fair and diverse; to champion continuous improvement in the quality of patient services; promote good practice; and support the NHS to implement the Equality Act 2010.
The EDS is one of the first products initiated by the EDC. The purpose of the EDS is to drive up equality performance and embed equality into mainstream NHS business. It has been designed to help NHS organisations, in the current and new NHS structures, to meet:
- the requirements of the public sector Equality Duty
- equality aspects of the NHS Constitution
- equality aspects of the NHS Outcomes Framework
- equality aspects of CQC's Essential Standards
- equality aspects of the Human Resources Transition Framework
Please note that use of the EDS does not automatically lead to better equality performance. For this to happen, the EDS must be used well, championed by committed leadership with a workforce that is supported to be confident and competent in dealing with equality.
The EDS work is being led by Tim Rideout (CEO of NHS Leicester City, currently assigned to work on setting up the NHS Commissioning Board) on behalf of the EDC. The specific EDS proposals were developed by a Working Group which includes representatives from strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, NHS Employers and the Care Quality Commission, supported by Department of Health officials. Tim is supported by an EDS Support Team, led by Maqsood Ahmad.
For further information about the EDS in relation to North East Primary Care Organisation’s or to be involved, email:
Ben Murphy, Equality and Diversity Lead, North East Primary Care Organisation’s at benmurphy@nhs.net or call 01642 745059.
