• Print Page
• Email Page to a Friend

Disability Equality Scheme

NHS Lanarkshire is fully committed to an agenda of continuous improvement in meeting the needs of people with disabilities in their interaction and contact with NHS services.

In order to drive improvements in making services as accessible as possible for disabled people, a new legal Disability Equality Duty has been introduced in December 2006. This legal duty requires the Board to actively ensure that disabled people are treated fairly and equitably.

The duty is not only focused on changes to buildings or special adjustments for individuals. It also prioritises engagement with disabled people to influence planning and decision making and the completion of Equality Impact Assessments to ensure equitable treatment and access.

In the provision of care and service to the people of Lanarkshire NHS Lanarkshire must now consider the following:

• Delivery of an equitable service to disabled and non disabled people.
• Removal of barriers to equitable service affecting disabled people.
• Promotion of positive attitudes towards disabled people.
• Encouragement of disabled people to take part in our patient forums and other avenues for engagement.
• Taking positive action to meet the needs of disabled people.

NHS Lanarkshire is required to publish a Disability Equality Scheme by 4th December 2006. This Scheme is similar in style to our Race Equality Scheme.The content of the Disability Equality Scheme includes:

• A statement to say how disabled people have been involved in writing the scheme.
• An action plan.
• Plans to collect and use information on how well NHS Lanarkshire is doing working for disabled people and meeting their needs.
• Ways of measuring our services and making improvements, where required.
• Ways of monitoring and developing the action plan.

NHSL will continue to work in partnership local authorities, voluntary organisations for disabled people and other key stakeholders to deliver continuous improvement in this important area of our work.

 

Access to the details of the Scheme:

NHSL Full Disability Equality Scheme

NHSL Easy Read Disability Equality Scheme

 

For further information please contact:

Kenneth Small
Director of Organisational Development and
Diversity and Equality Lead
NHS Lanarkshire

OR

Hina Sheikh
Diversity and Equality Co-ordinator
NHS Lanarkshire
14 Beckford Street
Hamilton
ML3 0TA
Tel: 01698 206386
Email: hina.sheikh@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk