NHS Lanarkshire is committed to meeting its existing legislative requirements, so it is required to update its Disability and Race Equality Schemes by 4 December 2009 and the Gender Equality scheme by July 2010. NHS Lanarkshire has chosen to move towards a Single Equality Scheme, which brings together our existing three equality schemes and incorporates other inequality areas covered by the new Equality Bill 2009 which are: age, religion and belief and sexual orientation,
In moving from three to one scheme, NHS Lanarkshire carried out a comprehensive engagement exercise, which has resulted in a high volume of returns from the public, patients and staff. To ensure that all the comments and feedback are included and reflected in our actions, we will be publishing our scheme in January 2010.
The scheme will be submitted to NHS Lanarkshire’s Board on the 27th January 2010. Once approved we will publish the full scheme on NHS Lanarkshire’s public website and distribute an executive summary to the groups consulted using the same process of the original consultation.
If you have a query in regards this process please contact Hina Sheikh, Diversity and Equality Manager on 01698 206386 or email hina.sheikh@lananarkshire.scot.nhs.uk