Equality & Diversity Policy

The organisation is committed to advancing equality and eliminating discrimination. This policy ensures that our service users and employees, as well as our suppliers, potential employees and others with whom we interact in the course of our business, are treated equitably irrespective of their status under the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010. The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

The policy meets our obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and under Regulation 10: Dignity and respect and Regulation 13: Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (Part 3) (as amended).

Service users

We undertake to ensure that:

• Service users are not discriminated against in any way, harassed or victimised, including on the grounds of any protected characteristic. This includes direct and indirect discrimination.
• Care is provided that reflects the service user’s preferences and the company does everything reasonably practicable to make sure that service users receive person-centred care that is appropriate, meets their needs and reflects their personal preferences, whatever they might be.
• Due regard is given to service users’ protected characteristics in relation to community involvement so that people are supported to be involved in their community as much or as little as they wish.
• All reasonable adjustments are made to enable service users to receive care and to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to information and advice, such as in accessible formats or with communication support.
• Service users have fair access to the services they need by involving them in the monitoring of services and using their feedback to improve and develop services.
• Staff are trained in, understand, and carry out their individual responsibilities in preventing discrimination in relation to the protected characteristics.
• Service users are provided with information and support to make a complaint if they believe they have been discriminated against. Please see the Complaints Policy.
• Service users who make allegations of discrimination or actually experience discrimination are supported, and that people who use services are not unlawfully discriminated against for making a complaint about discrimination.

Staff

We undertake to ensure that:

Reasonable steps are taken to make adjustments for people to enable them to carry out their role. This may include offering them alternative roles.

• Members of staff are provided with information about the Grievance Policy and Procedure, under which they can make a complaint of discrimination by the company or by another employee.
• A system is in place for responding to allegations and acts of discrimination regardless of who raises the concern or who the allegation is against. Please see the company’s Disciplinary Policy.
• When allegations of discrimination are substantiated, corrective action is taken and changes made to prevent such an incident happening again.

Business development

We undertake to:

• Monitor the representation of different groups among our service users and staff.
• Ensure that all our internal policies address the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.
• Consider equality and fairness when we develop and review our policies.
• Consider equality and fairness when we design, deliver and evaluate our services.
• Train all staff in diversity and non-discriminatory practice as part of their induction and ongoing training.

Supply chain

We undertake to:

• Consider equality and fairness when we select our suppliers.
• Demonstrate a clear commitment to ethical trade and integrate it into our procurement decisions.
• Support suppliers to improve working conditions through access to advice and training.

Training

We train our staff and managers in our responsibilities as a provider contracting work from local authorities with public sector equality duty (PSED) obligations and legal duties under the Human Rights Act. We are committed to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) throughout our supply chain. All staff must read this policy as part of their induction and participate in compulsory training on diversity and non-discriminatory practice.

Commitment

This policy will be made available to all who have contact with Hales Care Ltd including staff, customers, service users, stakeholders and family members. It will be published electronically and available in a variety of written formats as requested. Its contents will be embedded throughout the development of our people and our services.