A Joint Stronger Together/NHS event on 14th July 2011 provided an opportunity for local VCS groups to meet NHS organisations and discuss how the emerging Equality Delivery System (EDS) can be established in Berkshire.
At this well-attended conference, speakers and workshops explained how the EDS will be used in the ambulance service, mental health and community health services, commissioning bodies and hospitals to ensure:
- Patient care and access to services is improved
- A better understanding of treatment to improve the patient experience
- Staff feel safe, valued and treated equally
- Patients are treated with dignity and respect
- Leadership on equality
The Event Report records the VCS input into this process and provides suggestions and recommendations for the way forward.
Leading on from the valuable feedback gained from the event, the NHS in Berkshire will open an online survey during October to gather more views on the Equality Outcomes detailed in the EDS. All these views and other evidence will then be used to grade the NHS organisations during December. For more information on the EDS, please click here.