top of page

This Policy summarises the measures used in the Organisation to monitor and assess the success of the Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy (No 1006) through a review of practices and data collected, and to recommend appropriate action where necessary:



1. The Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy will apply to the following groups:

  • Staff - with respect to employment and career advancement opportunities within the Organisation;

  • Service Users - with respect to the diversity of the Care Services being provided.


2. Equal Opportunities will identify the following equalities issues:


1.1 Staff - Equal Opportunities in respect of:

  • race

  • culture / ethnicity (using the ethnic classifications of the 2001 Census)

  • religious / sectarian issues

  • disabilities

1.2 Service Users - Equal Opportunities in respect of:


  • observance of religious beliefs, customs and festivals which may affect food / dietary preferences, personal care, worship and leisure activities.


  • communication needs:

. language

. physical impairments or disabilities which may make communication difficult to understand, e.g. speech impediments, partial / total loss of hearing or sight

  • impairments or disabilities:

. Loss of mobility - dependency upon wheelchairs, etc

. Frailty

. Dementia


  • End-of-Life Care for the terminally ill service user, and matters relating to death and the Bereavement process.


2. Monitoring the success of the Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy will be achieved through a review of data and records obtained from the following sources:

3.1 Staff:


  • Through their perceptions of the Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy, particularly where staff Themselves are of an ethnic minority, or are disabled, etc.


  • Disciplinary Records - are there any equalities or adverse discrimination issues apparent?


  • Exit Interviews of staff leaving the Organisation’s employment.



3.2 Service Users / Family Members / Advocates:


Questionnaires regarding the quality of the Care Service offered. There are separate questionnaires for use by service users and their family / relatives / advocates.

3.3 Job Applicants:

  • The Organisation uses an Equal Opportunities & Diversity Monitoring Form (Form No 1-205) to record data collected from job applicants. A separate Form No 1-205 is sent with an application pack to the candidate who is asked to complete it and return it to the Organisation. In consideration of both Data Protection and fair Employment legislation, the candidate is assured of the following:


• Completion of the form is not mandatory;

• The form is completed does not affect the selection process in any way;

• The form is separated from the Job Application Form upon receipt;

• All information provided by the applicant is anonymous;

• The information provided is for statistical purposes only.


  • Review Job Application Forms and the follow-on Interview Notes for both successful and unsuccessful applicants.


3.4 Complaints Log:


Focus on complaints involving the following:

  • Harassment / abuse / preferential or unfair treatment with respect to the equalities issues identified for both service users and staff.


  • The display of offensive material within the Organisation’s offices.


  • Inadequate methods of communication with respect to language, loss of sight or hearing, or other impairments such as dementia.



3. The data collected will focus upon the equalities issues listed in 2. Above, identifying areas of possible discrimination and / or exclusion.



4. A review of this data will be made on a 6-monthly basis by the Domiciliary Care Services Manager. This will be discussed at the Quality Management Review Meetings as an Equalities Action Plan, and will focus upon;


  • Opportunities for improvement (also to be discussed with service users / family).


  • Action needed to make these improvements.


  • Responsibilities for action, and follow-up monitoring to ensure that the action taken has been effective.


  • A summary of the findings of the Equalities Action Plan and subsequent action taken will be published on the office notice-board. Minutes of the QM Review Meetings will be maintained per Policy No 2203.


  • The Equalities Action Plan will also contain a simple system for the ethnic and disabled monitoring of both service users and Care staff as a Discrimination Profile within the Organisation. This will be based upon a person’s self-declaration against the ethnic categories, as recorded in the original Care Plan (for clients) and Job Application Forms (for staff), and registered disabilities. This data will be reviewed on a 6-monthly basis by the Domiciliary Care Services Manager to identify possible areas of exclusion or discrimination, based upon race or ethnicity.


FORMS REFERENCES:

Form No: 1-205 Equal Opportunities & Diversity Monitoring Form - Job Applicants

bottom of page