Putting people first: Equality and Diversity Matters 2 - Think Local Act ...

4 Putting people first – equality and diversity matters 2Quality issues in social carePromoting improvements in social care andstamping out bad practice for the benefit of thepeople who use care services are key functionsof the Commission for Social Care Inspection(CSCI). The Commission has a commitmentto promote equality and diversity in all that itdoes.The Equality and DiversityMatters seriesThis bulletin is the second in a series of threedesigned to help service providers meet the newpersonalisation agenda within Putting peoplefirst 1 by addressing equality and diversitymatters. This bulletin focuses on black andminority ethnic people using services. The otherbulletins cover equality for lesbian, gay, bisexualand transgender people, published in March2008, 2 and disability equality, due in December2008. We are producing these bulletins to: support service providers to ensure thatservices are personalised so they meet theneeds of a diverse range of people highlight and increase understanding of thekey issues for diverse groups of people usingservices share what we have learnt about goodpractice in equality and diversity matters from1. Department of Health (2007) Putting people first: ashared vision and commitment to the transformationof adult social care. London: Department of Health2. Commission for Social Care Inspection (2008)Putting people first: Equality and Diversity Matters1 – providing appropriate services for lesbian, gay andbisexual and transgender people. London: Commissionfor Social Care Inspectioninspecting services and from hearing frompeople who use services identify practical steps that can be taken byservice providers to improve the experiencesof people who use social care services. Whilst the series is primarily written to assistpeople providing social care services, someof the issues raised are also relevant tocommissioners seeking to ensure that theservices they commission meet the diverseneeds of their communities.How have we developed thisbulletin?We have used a number of sources of informationto write this bulletin, including: Examining the National Minimum Standards(NMS) for care services to look at the keyissues relating to equality and diversity. Focus groups with black and minority ethnicpeople, using a range of services includinghome care, adult placement schemes, carehomes and those receiving Direct Payments 3in lieu of services. Individual interviews with black and minorityethnic people using services, particularlyfocusing on people living in care homes. Theinterviews and focus groups included 63people who identified as African, Chinese,Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Irish, Polish andpeople of dual heritage. We involved older3. Direct Payments are cash payments given to peopleby councils, so that they can purchase social careservices themselves instead of being provided withservices