The core commitment of Poundhill Medical Group is to provide fair, accessible primary care services for its registered population. The Surgery is committed to actively recognising and promoting equality and diversity within our community and believes that people who use our services, their carers and our staff should be treated with respect and dignity.
The Surgery is committed to challenging discrimination in all its forms and ensuring that equality lies at the heart of everything we do. It is our aim to be a fair and equitable organisation, one where everyone accepts differences between individuals and values the benefits that diversity brings. Ending discrimination is not simply about making our practice accessible, but about systematically identifying barriers and thus reducing inequalities.
What is Equality & Diversity all about?
Whether we are members of staff, patients, carers, service users, we all want to live in communities where we can all participate fully and equally. When we need to see a doctor we want this service to be delivered in ways which help inclusion.
Equality to us is about creating a fairer society where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. It is not about treating people the same, but recognising that everyone has different needs, which need to be met in different ways.
Diversity to us is the many distinct characteristics that staff, patients, service users, and carers bring to our practice. Our Surgery recognises and values the difference within our communities and the workplace. We can learn from the differences of others and become more understanding.
As a GP practice, we have a legal requirement to promote equality and set out how we plan to meet the 'general and specific duties' specified in the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act 2010.
Background
The Equality Act became law in October 2010 and was subject to Amendment in 2012. It replaced all previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995). The Act is there to strengthen protection, advance equality and simplify the law. The Act has a Public Sector Equality Duty which specific duties came into force on 10th September 2011. The Act now gives protection to groups of people who experience discrimination and have protection from this legislation. These are known as protected characteristics. It is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation