Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment – the Form.
Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment - the Form
Eight steps to an equality and human rights impact assessment
STEP 1: Identify essential information
- Name of function, policy or procedure
Transformation Strategy for Services to Adults 2007 - 2010
Recommendation 6: Agree Policy to change balance of supply from 75% residential care / 25% home care by 2010/11, and reinvest a percentage of the money saved to support citizens to live independently at home.
Recommendation 10: Reduction in the number of day care places to 135 over a 3-year period, with the principle that 50% of the savings will be redirected into personalised care.
Recommendation 17: Adopt in principle the policy of self-directed support.
2. Is this function, policy or procedure New a Reviewed
3. Officers involved in completing this form
Name / Designation / Service / DirectorateJulie Thomson
Natalija Clark
Alistair Baird / Principal Planning Officer
Principal Planning Officer
Strategist / Planning & Policy – Care, Services to Adults
Planning & Policy – Care, Services to Adults
Planning & Policy - Care, Services to Adults / Strategic Leadership
Strategic Leadership
Strategic Leadership
4. Date of Impact Assessment – the original impact assessment were undertaken as part of the strategic assessments between May and September 2007. This information was brought together in this single document on 24 October 2008.
5. Lead council service(s) involved in the delivery of this function, policy, procedure
Neighbourhood Services - Health & Social CareStrategic Leadership – Commissioning
6. Who else is involved in the delivery of this function, policy or procedure? (for example other Council services or partner agencies)
(if none go to question 8)
None7. How have they been involved in the equality and human rights impact assessment process?
N/ASTEP 2: Outline the aims of the function, policy or procedure (To complete this section please use the notes on pages 9 -10 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment.)
8. What are the main aims of the function, policy or procedure? Please list
· Change the balance of supply from 75% residential care / 25% home care to 50% / 50% by 2010/11 and in doing so to more accurately reflect the needs and wishes of service users and carers.· Increase the levels of self-directed support, which will increase individual choice and provide more personalised care.
· Increase the use of Telecare as part of a range of support options available to service users and carers, which has the potential to increase safety and assist individuals to remain in their own home for as long as they wish to do so.
9. Who are the main beneficiaries of the function, policy or procedure? Please list:
· All service users and carers will have the opportunity to benefit from these initiatives.10. Is the function, policy or procedure intended to increase equality of opportunity by permitting positive action or action to redress disadvantage?
Yes Ö
No
Give details:
By providing increased opportunities for people to remain in their own home for longer, as opposed to being admitted to a care home or hospital continuing care bed, the Council will increase equality in terms of opportunity and allow individuals to maintain an “ordinary life”.The reduction in day care places, which refers to day centres, is intended to replace existing day centre places with alternative day-time activities, which afford more opportunity for community based activities.
11. What impact will the function, policy or procedure have on promoting good relations and wider community cohesion?
Central to these initiatives is the intention to assist people to continue to live in their own homes and to establish and/or maintain links with their community.Through shifting the balance of care and the use of individualised budgets there may be an increase in employment opportunities as budget holders seek to recruit from their local community.
STEP 3: Gather and consider evidence (To complete this section please use the notes on pages 11 - 12 of the guide to the equality and human rights impact assessment)
12. What evidence is there to identify any potential positive or negative impacts?
Evidence / DetailsConsultation / Stakeholder events took place during August and September 2007. Participants included front line staff, community planning partners, unions, and Elected Members. Before the strategy was completed, there was an opportunity for formal consultation on a consultative draft. Service providers in the voluntary and private sectors were also involved.
Formal consultees included all Elected Members; Corporate Management Team; Extended Corporate Management Team; Service Managers working across Health and Care; Staff working across Health and Care and Housing; Strategists, Strategic Leadership; Resources Management – HR, Finance, Legal; Continuous Improvement – CRM, Service Design and Development; Trade Unions; The Aberdeen City Alliance; The Voluntary Sector Liaison Group; Service Users; Aberdeenshire Corporate Management Team; Aberdeen Community Health Partnership.
All written responses to the draft report were recorded, along with whether any changes were made to the report as a result. A full communication audit can be provided on request.
Information was shared with Joint Future Care Planning Groups. While the increase in service options and the element of choice were generally welcomed, concern was expressed that this should not become merely a cost cutting exercise.
A conference for all stakeholders was held in Feb 2008 in respect of the development of individualised budgets through the In Control model.
In August 2008 a working group, made up of service users, voluntary organisations and local authority staff was formed to establish an Independent Living Initiative to support individuals with an individual budget.
Research / Benchmarking was undertaken with comparator Local Authorities and it was concluded that we are often investing more money than our comparator authorities in services for Older People and for people with Learning Disabilities, but not always delivering superior performance.
The Government’s Joint Health Improvement Team reported that the “balance of care” in Aberdeen is more reliant on care in a care home or hospital continuing care bed, that other similar authorities.
Government guidance recommends that people should have the opportunity to remain in their own home for as long as is possible.
Officer knowledge and
experience
(including feedback from frontline staff) / Information and feedback were received from the workshops with frontline staff and officers, which supported these initiatives.
Equality monitoring data / The Balance of Supply policy will be applied to all clients and monitored or a regular basis.
User feedback
(including complaints) / It was acknowledged within the body of the report that user feedback needs to be further developed but staff express the view that individuals appreciate the opportunity to continue to reside at home provided the care provided is adequate and appropriate.
All complaints received will be monitored as per the Council's Customer Feedback Policy.
Other
STEP 4: Assess likely impacts on equality strands (To complete this section please use the notes on pages 13 –14 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment)
13. Which, if any, equality target groups and others could be affected by this function policy or procedure? Place the symbol in the relevant box.
Equality Target Group / Positive Impact(+) / Neutral Impact (0) / Negative Impact(-)Race* / O
Disability / +
Gender ** / O
LGB*** / O
Belief / O
Younger / O
Older / +
Others / +
* Race include Gypsies/Travellers
** Gender includes Transgender
*** LGB: Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
14. From the groups you have highlighted above, what positive and negative impacts do you think the function, policy or procedure might have?
Detail the impacts and describe the groups affected.
Positive impacts(describe groups affected)
The following positive impacts are likely to apply to older people and people with disabilities.
Ensuring that people with disabilities have access to services that meet their individual needs.
Optimise opportunities for people to return to and or remain, living as independently as possible in their own homes.
Provide individuals with increased choice and an ability to have an increased say in the services they receive.
These initiatives should assist carers in their caring role. / Negative Impacts
(describe groups affected)
The following potential negative impacts are possible as unintended consequences of the actions being taken and could apply to older people, people with disabilities and carers.
Change can prove difficult for some individuals even where the overall outcome may be positive.
There is a need to ensure that any changes in support arrangements are based on assessed needs and as far as possible enhance the individual’s experience. If this is not the case there could be a negative impact.
STEP 5: Apply the three key assessment tests for compliance assurance
(To complete this section please use the notes on pages 15 – 17 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment.)
15. Does this policy/procedure have the potential to interfere with an individual’s rights as set out in the Human Rights Act 1998? State which rights might be affected by ticking the appropriate box(es) and how. If you answer “no”, go to question 19.
NoLegality
16. Where there is a potential negative impact is there a legal basis in the relevant domestic law?
N/ALegitimate aim
17. Is the aim of the policy a legitimate aim being served in terms of the relevant equality legislation or the Human Rights Act?
N/AProportionality
18. Is the impact of the policy proportionate to the legitimate aim being
pursued? Is it the minimum necessary interference to achieve the legitimate aim?
N/ASTEP 6: Monitor and review (To complete this section please use the notes on page 18 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment).
19. How will you monitor the implementation of the function, policy or procedure? (For example, customer satisfaction questionnaires)
The Council has a duty to monitor the implementations of its functions, policies and procedures.Once implemented, the process for monitoring the strategy will be via the corporate performance management system, including supervisory meetings, ECMT Performance Board; CMT Quarterly Review; Citistat; Area Committees, and ultimately the Performance and Standards Committee. Where solutions are not delivering the required results, we will scrutinise the reasons and adjust our approach accordingly.
All complaints received will be monitored as per the Council's Customer Feedback Policy.
20. How will the results be used to develop the function policy or procedure?
The EHRIA is an ongoing process and any impact resulting from the monitoring and reviewing process will be used to develop the policy on an ongoing basis.21. When is the function, policy or procedure due for review?
On an ongoing basis.STEP 7: Report results and summary of EHRIA to the public (To complete this section please use the notes on page 19 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment).
22. Where will you publish the results of the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment?
Please indicate as follows by ticking the appropriate box(es).
aSummary of EHRIA will be published in committee reports under section “Equality Impact Assessment”
a Full EHRIA will be attached to the committee report as an appendix
aSummary of EHRIA to be published on council website within relevant service pages
o Other, please state where:
N/A23. Please summarise the results of the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment and give an overview of whether the policy, procedure or function will meet the Council’s responsibilities in relation to equality and human rights. This summary needs to include any practical actions you intend to take / have taken to reduce, justify or remove any adverse negative impacts.
Both positive and negative impacts have been identified. Any negative impacts for those with Disabilities, Older People and Carers will be addressed in the longer term by changing the way in which we deliver services in the future.STEP 8 SIGN OFF (To complete this section please use the notes on page 20 of the guide to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment)
The final stage of the EHRIA is to formally sign off the document as being a complete, rigorous and robust assessment.
Person completing the impact assessment
Julie Thomson
24th October 2008
Quality check: document has been checked by
Alistair Baird 24th October 2008
Head of Service (Sign-off)
Craig Stirrat 24th October 2008
Please send a copy of your completed EHRIA form together with the Policy/Strategy/Procedure to:
Head of Service
Community Planning and Regeneration,
Strategic Leadership
Aberdeen City Council
St. Nicholas House
Broad Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1GZ
1 / 15 September 2008