Equality Impact Assessment template

Equality and Diversity Impact Assessment
Name of Function/ policy/ procedure/ project/ guideline/ practice/ proposal to
be impact assessed
Lead (Job title, Directorate /Service /
Department/Ward)
Working Group members (if appropriate)
Date
Action (please detail who will undertake any recommendations)
Please submit a copy of the completed document to nazir.makda@elht.nhs.uk
Please complete the following Questions:
1. Identify ALL the aims of the function*
a) What is the purpose of the
function*?
(consider implicit and explicit aims)
b) Who does the function* affect/
benefit?
(e.g. staff/ service users; equality
groups; other stakeholder groups)
c) What results/ outcomes are
intended? How are these
measured? What factors
could contribute or detract
from the outcome?
d) Who will implement the
function?
e) Are there risks associated
with the function* in relation to
meeting equality duties/
requirements?
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

2. Consider the evidence (data and information)
These questions can be tackled out of sequence and as a gap is identified during the
process.
a) What information/ data would be
useful to have?
b) What data (quantitative and
qualitative e.g. questionnaires,
published reports, staff & service
user satisfaction survey,
employment monitoring, audits,
focus groups, trade unions,
feedback, complaints/grievances,
research reports, demographic
data, census, local labour force
statistics is available? (in house
and external)
c) How reliable/ valid/ up to date is
data?
d) What does the data tell you
about:(staff & Patients)
• Different Needs?
• Different experiences?
• Different impacts?
• Different outcomes?
e) Having reviewed the information
and data available, do you have
any remaining questions that
would prevent you continuing with
the impact assessment? Is there
further information you can
gather?
f) Are there any stakeholders (see
1b above) you should now
consult?
g) Have you consulted any experts
already?
h) What were the views of any
experts/ stakeholders?
Consider the evidence - Monitoring data (Information / evidence used to assist
screening/impact assessment process)
If there is no or insufficient data available, how will you obtain the information you
need (e.g. new survey, focus group)
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

3. Monitoring
a) Total number of patients seen in
the last 6 months in this
department/ward/service?
( please breakdown by ethnicity,
disability, age, religion, sexual
preference and gender)
b) Total number of staff who work in
this department/ward or Service?
( please breakdown by ethnicity,
disability, age, religion, sexual
preference and gender)
c).How many staff in this
department/ward/ service have
attended Diversity & Equality training
in the last 2 years?
Details:
Details:
Details:
Equality & diversity training at
induction [ ]
Equality & diversity e-learning [ ]
Cultural religious awareness [ ]
Disability awareness [ ]
Bullying & harassment [ ]
Fair recruitment & selection
training [ ]
Briefing sessions [ ]
Attended external training,
workshops, events, seminars,
conferences on equality &
diversity. [ ]
Does staff know how to access an
interpreter i.e.
o BSL [ ]
o Community Languages [ ]
o Induction loop facility (fixed or
portable) and its operation [ ]
d) Are staffs aware of the following
policies and how to access them?
Details:
Bullying & Harassment) [ ]
Equal Opportunity Policy [ ]
Grievance & disputes [ ]
Accessing interpretation &
translation service[ ]
Special leave & Family friendly
policy [ ]
Recruitment selection Policy [
]
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

Single Equality Scheme[ ]
e) Is the ward/department/service fully
equipped to meet the religious,
cultural and dietary needs of Staff and
Patients from ethnic minority
backgrounds? And are patients
informed of what is available?
Details:
4. Assess the likely impact on different groups and the opportunity to promote diversity
(This involves determining whether or not there is an adverse impact on the main equality groups or sub groups)
a) In what areas does it have an impact?
E.g.
• Employment
• Health
• Work life, including employment progression
• Physical conditions
• Access to information
• Experience of services
b) Is the impact the same/ different/ neutral/ beneficial/ adverse in relation to equality?
c) How do you know this? What evidence is there?
d) Does adverse impact amount to unlawful discrimination? (legal advice may be required)
e) Is the impact intended to redress past disadvantage or promote equality?
f) How does the function* area affect different groups and sections of those groups? (e.g. young and
disabled)
g) How can the function promote diversity?
What impact will the policy/
proposal have? For
example, its affect on
Equality
Target
Group
Positive
Impact
Negative
Impact
Neither
Reason / Comment
(Does the data
indicate a possible
adverse impact on
some groups?)
Lifestyles?
Diet & nutrition?
Exercise & physical activity?
Substance use: tobacco, alcohol or
drugs?
Risk taking behaviour?
Education & learning, or skills?
Personal safety?
Privacy?
Communication?
Relationships?
Other?
Social environment?
Social status
Employment ( paid or unpaid)
Social/family support
Stress
Income
Will it impact on;
Discrimination?
Equality of opportunity?
Men and
Women
Black and
Minority
Ethnic
Communities
Disabled
People
High*
Low#
What is the strength of this
evidence - for instance
a) Well established and
validated?
b) Strong evidence, but a
few gaps?
c) Some evidence, but
considerable gaps?
d) Anecdotal?
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

Relations between groups?
Other
Physical environment?
Living conditions?
Working conditions?
Pollution or climate change?
Accidental injuries or public safety?
Transmission of infectious disease?
other
Access to and experience of services?
e.g.
Patient experience
Quality of service
Personalised Care
Advocacy
Dignity & respect
Choice
Cultural /spiritual
communication
Human Resources
Recruitment
Redeployment
Training
Promotion
Disciplinary/Grievance
Bullying & Harassment
Redundancy
Religion &
Belief
Carers
Transgender
people
Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual
people
Older people
Younger
people and
children
5. Consider alternatives – what to do if there is adverse impact
a) How can the function* be
changed in a way that is
proportionate (see glossary)
and will remove unlawful
discrimination?
b) How can the function* be
changed in a way that is
proportionate and will reduce
any adverse impact?
c) If the function* cannot be
changed, can it still be
justified? (If there is direct
discrimination it cannot be
justified. Any adverse impact
would require strong
justification. You may wish to
take legal advice on this).
d) Can the aims be met in some
other way? What can you do
now/ later?
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

6. Consult formally – relevant stakeholders
a) How will you consult?
• Who do you need to get
views from? Internal/
external?
• What methods will you
use? (e.g. how to contact
hard to reach groups)
• What formats will you use
to communicate with
different people?
• How long will you give
people to respond?
b) How will you ensure that the people who are likely to be affected or who have
an interest agree that :
• The right issues have been
identified?
• Proposed modifications are
suitable?
• Proposals meet their
needs?
7. Decide whether or not to adopt/ revise the function*
a) Taking into account all the data, information, potential impact issues,
opportunities to promote diversity and consultation feedback, what will you
do?
• Reject the function*
• Pilot the function* – test
proposals
• Modify the function* - how
will your changes deal
with adverse impacts?
Will there be any
subsequent adverse
impacts?
• Adopt the function* as
proposed – if a negative
impact was identified or
where you are not
incorporating feedback
from consultations, you
must justify adopting the
function*.
b) Who will progress this? Will
any approvals be required?
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

8. Make monitoring and review arrangements
a) How will you know what
the actual effect of the
function* is?
b) In what ways will you
monitor? E.g. continuously,
irregularly, quantitative
methods such as surveys,
qualitative methods such
as interviews.
c) How often will monitoring
information be analysed
and published?
d) When will you review the
function* taking into
account any monitoring
information?
9. Publish Assessment results
a) What are the arrangements
for providing feedback to
those involved in the
process?
b) How will you ensure the
wider public knows the
outcomes of your impact
assessment, consultation
and monitoring? Will this
be a full report or a
summary?
c) How will you ensure
access to the full impact
assessment report?
Recommendation
Full Equality Impact Assessment required: No Yes
Signature of Assessor:
Date
Signature: ____________________
GLOSSARY
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

Bias/Liking
Culture
Direct
discrimination
Disability
Discrimination
Diversity
Equality
Ethnicity
Experts
Explicit aim
Functions
Implicit aim
Indirect
discrimination
Institutional
Racism
A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits
impartial judgement.
the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people
with shared traditions, which are transmitted and
reinforced by members of the group
Treating a person less favourably on racial/ gender/
disability grounds
A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial
and long term adverse effect on his ability to carry out
normal day to day activities.
Unequal treatment of an individual or group of persons on
the basis of features such as race, sexuality, gender, age
or physical disposition.
Recognising and valuing differences.
Creating a fair society where everyone can participate and
has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Relating to or characteristic of a human group having
racial, religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in
common.
Expert groups will include groups such as the Equal
Opportunities Commission, the Disability Rights
Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality.
The principal purpose.
The full range of our duties and powers. Can be external
and internal. Includes service delivery – e.g. research,
publications, media campaigns, education and health
improvement projects.
The secondary or hidden or implied purpose.
Imposing rules or conditions on all
Which one group finds it harder to
comply with
Which gives rise to detriment
Which cannot be justified
Institutional racism is that which, covertly or overtly,
resides in the policies, procedures, operations and culture
of public or private institutions - reinforcing individual
prejudices and being reinforced by them in turn.
Nationality
a body of people sharing common descent, history,
language etc
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required

Neutral
Policies
Proportionate
Not better or worse
The full range of formal and informal decisions we make
on carrying out our functions and all the ways in which we
use our powers – or decide not to. Any assessment of a
policy should therefore involve examination of longstanding
‘custom and practice’ and management
decisions, as well as any formal written policy.
A function which has the most effect on an equality group
should be receive greater consideration than functions with
less effect.
The actions taken should be relative to other
considerations, such as:
1. Cost
2. Other business requirements
3. Effectiveness of the proposed action in achieving
change
4. Is it reasonable?
If you are unsure of whether proposed action is
proportionate please contact HR to discuss.
Prejudice
Race
Relevant
Stakeholder
An adverse judgement or opinion formed beforehand or
without knowledge or examination of the facts. A
preconceived preference or idea. Irrational suspicion or
hatred of a particular group, race, or religion.
A group of people of common ancestry, distinguished from
others by physical characteristics, such as hair type, colour
of eyes and skin, stature, etc.
A function or policy will be relevant if it has, or could have,
implications of any kind for promoting equality.
Those likely to be affected by the function*.
* Function – please read function* as meaning policy, procedure, project,
guideline, practice, proposal etc as required