Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Defining Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Equality:

  • Ensuring that everyone is given equal access to resources and opportunities to utilise their skills and talents
  • Taking a systems approach to what we do and how we do it and identifying and removing long standing, structural barriers to success

 Diversity 

  • Being reflective of the wider community
  • Having a diverse community, with people from a broad range of backgrounds represented in all areas and at all levels

 Inclusion 

  • An approach where groups or individuals with different backgrounds are welcomed, culturally and socially accepted, and treated equally
  • Engaging with each person as an individual and making colleagues feel valued
  • A sense of belonging that is respectful of people for who they are
  • Feeling supported to enable us to do our best

Equity

  • involves trying to understand and give people what they need to achieve their potential; promoting  notions of fairness, justice, entitlements and rights.

The scope of EDI in our work

Equality Act 2010 – protected characteristics
Age Race
Disability Religion and belief
Gender reassignment Sex
Marriage and civil partnership Sexual orientation
Pregnancy and maternity

EDI and health and social care research: why it matters

  • Our research needs to identify and target the populations and geographies where need is greatest
  • We need to challenge and change research practices which exclude the most marginalised and underserved people
  • We need to reduce research waste resulting from conducting studies which are not generalisable to the wider population
  • We need to know whether some groups are adversely affected by a new intervention, even if it is effective for the majority of people
  • We need to avoid harm by developing interventions which have been tested on a diverse sample

EDI Policies and Statements we follow are: