SUMMARY REPORT
ABM University Health Board
Workforce & Organisational Development
(OD) Committee
Date of Meeting: 24 January 2017
Agenda item: 18
Report Title
Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020
Prepared, Approved and
Presented by
Jane Williams, Equality Manager,
Kay Myatt, Head of Learning & Development,
Louise Joseph, Assistant Director of Workforce & OD,
Kate Lorenti, Acting Director of Human Resources
Purpose
The report provides an update on the development of
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board’s
Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020.
Decision
Approval
Information
Other
x
Corporate Objectives
Healthier
Excellent Sustainable
Strong
Fully
Effective
Communities
Patient
&
Partnerships Engaged Governance
Outcomes Accessible
& Skilled
&
Services
Workforce
Experiences
x
x
x
x
x
x
Executive Summary
The Health Board approved the Strategic Equality Objectives for 2016-2020 at its July
2016 meeting. The public sector equality duty requires the Health Board legally to draw
up a Strategic Equality Plan. Our Equality Objectives have been incorporated into
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board’s Annual Plan 2017/2018. The Annual Plan
will signpost to plans that will help to deliver our Equality Objectives. We are adopting a
similar approach to the Welsh Government to the development of our Strategic Equality
Plan.
Key Recommendations
The Workforce and OD Committee are asked to note the approach being taken to
revise our Strategic Equality Plan.
Next Steps
Drafting of the Strategic Equality Plan.
1
MAIN REPORT
ABM University Health Board
Workforce & OD Committee
Date of Meeting: 24 January 2017
Agenda item:18
Subject
Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020
Prepared,
Approved
and
Presented by
Jane Williams, Equality Manager,
Kay Myatt, Head of Learning & Development,
Louise Joseph, Assistant Director of Workforce & OD,
Kate Lorenti, Acting Director of Human Resources
PURPOSE
This report updates the Workforce and Organisational Development Committee on
the development of our Strategic Equality Plan for 2016-2020.
BACKGROUND
The Equality Act (2010) introduced a general public sector equality duty that
provides protection from discrimination across all the ‘protected characteristics’ of
age, disability, sex, race, religion/belief, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy and
maternity, gender reassignment and sexual orientation.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board must ensure it meets the
requirements of the Equality Act to:



Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other
conduct that is prohibited by the Act.
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected
characteristic and those who do not.
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and
those who do not.
ABMU Health Board drew upon evidence and engaged with stakeholders, public and
third sector organisations to develop our seven Equality Objectives. We published
the Equality Objectives following approval by the July 2016 meeting of the Health
Board.
The public sector equality duty requires the Health Board to draw up a Strategic
Equality Plan. The Equality Objectives will be contained within the Strategic Equality
Plan together with the actions being taken to drive forward progress towards
achieving them. It will also include information on our approach to Equality Impact
Assessments, equality evidence and how we will monitor the actions within each
Objective.
KEY ISSUES
Our equality objectives have been built into our Annual Planning process for
2017/2018. We have incorporated our Equality Objectives into Abertawe Bro
Morgannwg Health Board’s Annual Plan 2017/2018. The Annual Plan will signpost
to plans that will help to deliver our Equality Objectives.
The Welsh Government issued a statement on 15 December 2016 alongside the
publication of its Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020. Their statement highlighted that
they had taken a different approach to their second Equality Plan in that it is
purposefully strategic and sign posts to the range of specific activities that will help
deliver their Equality Objectives.
The Health Board has to draw up a Strategic Equality Plan to set out how the
Equality Objectives will be delivered. We will adopt a similar approach to the Welsh
Government. Our Strategic Equality Plan will set out high level actions to be taken to
deliver the Equality Objectives. It will also include signposting to other plans that will
support the delivery of the Objectives.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the Workforce and OD Committee notes the approach being
taken to develop ABMU’s second Strategic Equality Plan.