Equality analysis summary

1. / Name of policy or decision? / Copying letters to patients
2. / New or revised? / Revised (July 2014)
3. / Completed by? / Coleen Knox, Lucia Hiden
4. / Which population groups is the policy intended to benefit and how? / The policy provides a clear procedure for clinical and administrative staff to follow in order to comply with the national guidelines. It defines the Trust’s expectations in relation to keeping patients informed about discussions between clinicians relating to their care.
It applies letters to be copied to patients, and defines the Trust’s writing style when copying letters to patients.
5. / Describe the aim(s) and objectives?
How it will be implemented, and who it will affect? / The NHS Plan in 2000 set out the government’s intention that patients should receive, as a right, letters about them written from one health professional to another. This became policy in April 2004 with the introduction of the Department of Health’s Good Practice Guidelines. The overriding objective of this policy is to improve communication with patients and enable them to participate in their care.
The aim of this policy is to:
• Provide information for all staff (particularly senior clinicians responsible for sending letters and their administration staff) in relation to the production and sending of letters to patients
• Provide clarity on special circumstances for patients and their carers.
Assessing whether the policy, service or strategy has any relevance to the public sector equality duty:
Will the policy or decision… / Age / Disability / Gender reassignment / Marriage and Civil Partnership / Pregnancy and maternity / Race / Religion or belief / Sex / Sexual orientation
6 / eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act / √ / √ / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
7 / advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic, and those who do not / X / X / X / n/a / X / X / X / X / X
8 / foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic, and those who do not / X / X / X / n/a / X / X / X / X / X
Assessing whether there are any human rights issues:
9 / Describe whether this is likely to promote or protect human rights? FREDA – fairness, respect, equality, dignity or autonomy / This policy does not promote human rights directly, however it does help to promote the health and wellbeing of patients in general. Please see section 6 for information about how the policy promotes and protects the rights of patients, for example consent, frequency, no surprises etc.
Further comments/information including reasons and information you used to make the decision, if an Equality Analysis is not required.
There is currently no evidence that protected groups are impacted differentially through the use of this policy.
However the policy identifies issues relating to children and young people, patients who may not have capacity to consent (disability) and different formats (race, disability). Therefore it is recommended that a full equality analysis is undertaken once the annual audit has reported it’s findings to the BSDC.

A full Equality Analysis must be undertaken if you have identified that the policy, service or function is relevant to any of the three aims of the public sector equality duty described in questions 6, 7, or 8. If there is no relevance, then no further action is required.

Is an Equality Analysis required? Yes ■ No □ Once

Please return a copy of this form to the Equality & Diversity Co-ordinator, Hancock Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital