Review of Disability Equality Schemes and Action Plans

Review of Disability Equality Schemes and Action Plans

Dear Sir/Madam

Review of Disability Equality Schemes and Action Plans

As public bodies, South Gloucestershire Council and NHS South Gloucestershire (the PCT - Primary Care Trust)are required to meet specific duties with regards to equalities. The Disability Equality Scheme (DES) is one of a number of tools which helpsNHS South Gloucestershire meet these duties. South Gloucestershire Council also has a DES, butis in the process of developing a Single Equality Scheme that addresses equalities issues around disability, gender and race.

South Gloucestershire Council and NHS South Gloucestershireaim to meet the needs of the population by organising local services which are accessible to all, and which respond to the needs of each individual. We would like your help in reviewing the Schemes and Action Plans.We are holding a meeting on 22nd July from 11am – 1pm at the Ridgewood Centre in Yate and would be grateful if you could attend to share your experiences of council and health services. Spaces are limited so please contact either Alice Cleaveland (; 01454 863860) or Louise Winn (; 0117 3300335) if you can attend. If you are unable to attend this meeting, or would prefer to tell us about your experiences in writing, then we would be very grateful for your feedback to the attached questionnaire.

South Gloucestershire Council has 7 corporate aims:

  1. Investing in children and young people
  2. Improving health, modernising community care and health services
  3. Managing future development
  4. Promoting safer and stronger communities
  5. Valuing the environment
  6. Maintaining economic prosperity
  7. Ensuring we are “Fit for our Future” – the council’s improvement programme

For more information see

NHS South Gloucestershireaims to:

1.improve the health of people living in South Gloucestershire by effective partnerships with organisations and with local people.

2.reduce the differences in health between people and places in South Gloucestershire.

3. bring more health services closer to local people by delivering more primary and community based services.

4. improve the experience of local patients when they use health by making sure that health services are provided promptly, safely and effectively.

For more information see:

Whilst working to achieve these aims, the Council and PCT must also:

-promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people.

-eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act.

-eliminate disability related harassment.

-promote positive attitudes to disabled people.

-encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

-take account of a person’s disability, even where that involves treating them more favourably than a person without a disability.

South GloucestershireCouncil and NHS South Gloucestershire’s Disability Equality Schemes are accompanied by action plans that show how both organisations plan to achieve the aims of the schemes. The schemesare reviewed every three years and the action plansare reviewed annually. South Gloucestershire Council’s current Disability Equality Scheme can be found at and NHS South Gloucestershire’s Scheme and Action Plan can be found at:

Thank you very much for your involvement in this review.

Sue Rickell

Chair of the NHS South Gloucestershire Equalities Action Committee

Robert Walsh

Head of Safer and Stronger Communities

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