Equalities and Human Rights

Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is fully committed to delivering services that are fair for all and uphold our responsibilities as detailed in the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012.   We recognise that good health and care is not evenly distributed across our communities and that health and care is affected by a range of factors, including social issues, prejudice and discrimination. We will do all we can to address these wider issues that cause inequalities.

The Equality Act 2010 strengthens, harmonises and streamlines previous equalities legislation in relation to age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership (for which the law provides protection in the area of employment and vocational training only), sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

As an HSCP with a role as Service Planner and Provider we have a legal obligation to pay due regard to meet the need to;

  • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.
  • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
  • Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

As a result of the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties)(Scotland) Amendment Regulations, our Integrated Joint Board is required to:

  • Publish a mainstreaming report, set of equalities outcomes and equality outcomes progress report in a manner accessible to the public;
  • Review its policies and practices in relation to EIAs, and develop and agree a functioning EIA system. This should include how the IJB will meet the specific duty to EIA proposed new or revised policies and practices and keep them under review.

Inverclyde HSCP is in the process of developing new Equality Outcomes which we intend to publish before March 2024. In the interim for 2023/2024 we have republished our previous seven Equality Outcomes, they are as follows;

Interim Equalities Outcomes 2023/24
People, including individuals from the above protected characteristic groups, can access HSCP services.
Discrimination faced by people covered by the protected characteristics across HSCP services is reduced if not eliminated.
People with protected characteristics feel safe within their communities.
People with protected characteristics feel included in the planning and developing of services.
HSCP staff understand the needs of people with different protected characteristic and promote diversity in the work that they do.
Opportunities to support Learning Disability service users experiencing gender based violence are maximised.
Positive attitudes towards the resettled refugee community in Inverclyde are promoted.