Preparing for review Georgina English Senior Policy Officer Health and Social Care Commission For Racial Equality Tel:

Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties Order) (2) A Race Equality Scheme shall state, in particular: 2.(2)(a) Those of its functions and policies, or proposed policies, what that person has assessed as relevant to its performance of the duty imposed by section 71(1)of the Race Relations Act. 2.(3) Such a person shall within a period of three years from 31 May 2002, and within each further period of three years, review the assessment referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

Where we are now Approaching the three year review (May 31 st 2005) CRE expectations – public authorities will have Published annual reports in line with their employment duty, detailing Ethnic Monitoring data. Conducted Race Equality Impact Assessments Published reports on their monitoring impact assessments and consultation activity – which are accessible and in line with arrangements set out in the RES Reviewed action plans to assess what progress has been made in implementing the duty Also SHAs have used the performance assessment framework to review implementation of schemes by PCTs and Trusts PCTs, Trusts and SHAs share examples of good practice/what is working well

Why? Mainstream the function of race equality Developing a systematic way to address race equality in everyday operations Statutory legal requirement.

Definitions Functions –this includes your ‘duties and powers’ Policies –‘formal and informal’ decisions you make to carry out functions Relevant –‘having implications for’ the general duty General Duty - ‘due regard to the need to’ –eliminate discrimination –promote equality of opportunity, and –promote good race relations

What do you need to do? Review existing functions and policies Identify recently adopted or proposed functions and policies Assess relevance of your functions and policies Prioritise your relevant functions and policies Publish the prioritised functions and policies Issues:  “When does this all have to be done by?”  “Do we have to do this re-assessment?”  “Is there any chance of an extension?”

Identifying functions and policies Possible ways of listing functions & policies –Legislative frameworks –Departmental strategies –Identification by individuals Functions clearly related to specific duties –Policy development, –Impact assessment –Consultation –Training –Access Issues: –The difference between functions and policies – highlight proposed policies – whose responsibility? – diversity or race equality

Re-prioritising functions and policies for relevance to the general duty How to prioritise functions and policies? How many parts of the general duty are relevant to the function or policy? How much evidence do we have - none, little, some, or a lot. Are the public (especially ethnic minority communities) worried that a certain function or policy is discriminatory or racist? Issues:  “It’s not a priority any more”  “There's no evidence’

Publication Revised list of functions and policies How to publish the list of functions and policies? Glossy document not the aim but needs to be publicly available Link with Freedom of Information Act Consider access to information and services arrangements Issues:  “Easy access document” (Translation? Easy Read? Braille)  “What about non-relevant functions and policies?”

Revising priorities TB Screening –Significant increase in TB in an area –High levels of homelessness –Mobile population dispersed asylum seekers/ traveller community –BCG rates down –Low attendance at screening appointments –Strong local and national imperative to make a priority

Identifying Relevance Which of the aspects is relevant? Is there a reason to believe that there will be an impact Is a large population affected? And/or a specific population Does that population have known health inequalities Has there been monitoring previously about the impact on that population of the function-screening/ health promotion/ support Is there existing public concern about discrimination? What are the implications for staff?

Practical steps Make use of the grid – in ‘A guide for public authorities’ Review progress in implementing current RES action plan, to ensure incomplete tasks are addressed Prioritise action corporately and by department Mainstream into service/departmental action plans Identify any likely new functions or policies that will be relevant in the next three year cycle. E.g. health equity audit

CRE compliance monitoring What the CRE will be looking for: A comprehensive list of relevant functions and policies List of proposed policies Evidence that an assessment has been carried out The authority's assessment includes service delivery, procurement (GPs contracts), enforcement, and employment functions and policies. Issues:  “Suppose PCTs and Trusts fall short of the minimum requirements?”

Supporting the process Action for SHAs Some SHAs have used assessment template to review PCT and NHS trust Schemes and action plans to assess progress in implementing the Duty Any that have not should be planning to assess before May 31 Use the NHS SHA Race Equality Guide 2004 Any reassessment should show how functions/ policy meets all three strands of the Duty Support health organisations in revisiting RES and reprioritising policies Ensure they know of help available from DH Ensure they know of resources on CRE Website Be positive : the health service will gain from doing this well

All guides now available and downloadable specific guidance note on Review CRE Guidance on race equality impact assessment No more one to one advice