National Care Service Charter of Rights: equality impact assessment

Implementation of the Charter

The EQIA identified that, for some population groups, people will need additional support to access their rights on an equal basis to others. The Charter alone cannot achieve equality of opportunity for the aim of ensuring that people feel empowered and able to claim their rights. Effective implementation will be key to achieving this aim.

In order to ensure equality of opportunity is advanced in practice, it will be important to implement the Charter by taking the following approach:

• implement the Charter in partnership with key stakeholders, Disabled People’s Organisations and lived experience groups
• focus in particular on implementation with people who face the most barriers in accessing their rights; barriers may include accessing and understanding information, trust in authority, and confidence in advocating for rights
• identify what additional support is required for people who face these additional barriers, beyond the Charter itself
• monitor the impact of the Charter, in particular with people who face additional barriers to accessing their rights, to understand any unequal impact across different groups and communities

Implementation of the Charter should also seek to promote good relations in future, through the following approach:

• consider how people with different characteristics and experiences can be brought together to collaborate and ensure effective implementation for all
• embed the Charter within staff training to support understanding of the needs and expectations of different people, reducing fears held by some groups that the standard of their care may be compromised due to discrimination