December 2013

Equality Impact Assessment: Are We Being Fair?

Compulsory for all proposals

Throughout this document we use the word ‘proposal’ to refer to what we are assessing. In this context, the term includes the different things that we do, including strategies, functions, procedures, practices, policies, initiatives and projects.

Wrexham County Borough Council has developed this template with support from the Equality and Human Rights Commission template and the Welsh Local Government Association.

This template covers all equality assessment needs from initial screening to a full Impact Assessment, by following the 6 steps:

1. Screening the equality needs of the proposal

2. Data collection and evidence

3. Involvement and consultation

4. Assessing impact and strengthening the proposal

5. Procurement and partnerships

6. Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing

The aim of an equality impact assessment (EIA) is to ensure that equality issues have been consciously considered throughout the decision making processes of the work we do.

The EIA highlights any areas of risk and maximises the benefits of proposals in terms of equality. It therefore helps to ensure we have considered everyone who might be affected by the proposal. It also helps us to meet our legal responsibilities under the general equality duties (Single Equality Act 2010). There is also a requirement under Human Rights legislation for Local Authorities to consider Human Rights in developing proposals.

Our approach to EIAs will help us to strengthen our work to promote equality. It will also help to identify and address any potential discriminatory effects before introducing something new or changing the way we work and reduce the risk of potential legal challenges.

When carrying out an EIA you should consider both the positive and negative consequences of your proposals. If a project is designed for a specific group e.g. disabled people, you also need to think about what potential effects it could have on other areas of equality e.g. young people with a disability, BME people with a disability.

Department / Adult Social Care
Departmental reference number for this EIA [Please contact HoD secretary] / ASC/EIA014
Responsible Officer / Charlotte Walton
e-mail address /
Full job title / Head of Service Older People
Title of Proposal or Policy / Remodelling of Older Peoples Day Services
Rationale:
Why is it being considered?
What need is being addressed? / The current provision needs to be modernised and streamlined focusing on models of service that maximise service users choice and control & flexibility over the care & support they need, the modernised service should make greater use of partnerships, community facilities and activities that are available. It should aim to ensure older people have the opportunity to (re)engage with their communities and peers to reduce social isolation, increase their activity and increase positive well-being. In taking a preventative approach through the development of community based services and providing information and advice at the right time and the right place with access to a range of activities enabling older people to remain physically and mentally active, reducing and/or delaying their need for formal services.
The new service should ensure that they aim to meet the needs of those whom are traditionally hard to reach groups / seldom heard communities / socially disenfranchised.
Aim:
What is the intended outcome of the proposal / policy? / The report outlines the commissioning intentions for Older Peoples Day Services in Wrexham, building on the outcomes identified in the Older Peoples Commissioning Strategy 2012-2018, with a focus on the continued development of preventative services that support individuals to remain independent and engaged in their communities. Services will focus on reducing or delaying individual’s needs for formal services, whilst providing information, advice and support to have choice, control and flexibility in their lives.
This will also contribute to the required budget savings for 2014-16
How:
How will it be delivered, by whom and by when? / The recommendations will be developed as individual work streams and brought together under ATOM. These work streams will include key partners in delivering the day services vision and retain the focus of improving outcomes for Older People.
Who:
Who are the people likely to be affected by this proposal or policy?
How have you consulted with the people who are likely to be affected? / Primarily it will be Older People (Over 65) who are affected by the policy as these are the primary users of day services, although some under 65’s will be affected, but this is a lesser percentage.
There has been a number of consultations with Older People and Staff that access day services this has been over a period of 10 years, however it is recognised that further meaningful engagement will need to be undertaken with service users and staff in further developing and firming up the remodelling prior to final agreement.
Measures:
How will you know you have achieved your aims?
What are your measures / indicators of success? / The re organisation of the day service provision in place
Monitoring of service users outcomes being achieved
Monitoring of community based services developed
PE5 – All vulnerable older people are safe, and have optimal health, independence and well-being
OP HOS Business Plan Performance Monitoring
Identify any other policy or decision [internal or external] that may affect your proposal.
Consider this in terms of:
·  Statutory requirements; local policies e.g. WCBC Housing Policy;
·  Regional decisions e.g. those made by cross county partnerships for your sector e.g. North Wales Chief Officers Board; and / or
·  National policies e.g. Welfare Reforms / The review of 3rd Sector Funding
The Council’s Reshaping services programme particularly:
·  Transport Review
·  Library Review
·  Community Centre Review
·  Re organisation of Assets and Economic Development
·  Reduction in overall spend on Domiciliary Care may create additional demand for services.
·  Reduction in supporting people funding

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December 2013

Screening Tool

As part of our Annual Equality Return we have to evidence what we have actively done to support people with Protected Characteristics who receive our services. We also have to evidence what we are doing to reduce any negative impact.

Note: Poverty and Welsh language and culture are not protected characteristics but we have included them because they are important considerations.

Please place a ‘+’ or ‘-‘symbol in every box to indicate whether your proposal with have a positive or negative affect note: people may have one or more of the protected characteristics. If there is no impact at all place ‘n/a’ If there is a positive and negative effect indicate both i.e.. ‘+/-‘:

Carers / Age
CYP / Age
Adults 18+ / Disability / Gender / Sex / Pregnancy and Maternity / Race/ Ethnicity / Religion or Belief / Sexual Orientation / Marriage and Civil Partnership / Gender Re assignment / Poverty / Welsh language / culture
Q1
Would this proposal significantly affect how functions are delivered to any of these groups? / +/- / N/A / +/- / +/- / +/- / N/A / + / + / + / + / + / + / +
Q2
Would this discriminate against any of these groups? / NO / N/A / NO / NO / NO / N/A / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO
Q3
Would this proposal advance the equality of opportunity for these groups? / + / N/A / + / + / + / N/A / + / + / + / + / + / + / +
Q4
Would this promote good relations between these groups and the wider community? / +/- / N/A / +/- / +/- / +/- / N/A / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/-

Where you have identified a positive impact (+) in the Screening Tool, please outline this briefly using bullet points:

Where you have identified no impact (n/a) in the Screening Tool, please outline this briefly using bullet points:

·  The project is specifically relates to Day Services for Older People and therefore it is not envisaged that there will be any impact to for Children & Young People & Pregnancy and Maternity


If you have indicated a possible negative effect on any Protected Characteristic within the screening tool, please complete the relevant sections of the Matrix below that correspond to that possible negative effect. You will need to consider:

·  What is the likely scale of the impact and how this can be reduced?

·  Who are the people that are likely to be affected by this proposal, could they experience multiple disadvantage e.g. if they are young and have a disability.

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December 2013

EIA: Are we being fair?

Please complete the relevant sections of the Matrix below that correspond to any ‘-‘ symbols you have recorded in the screening tool / List what information you have used to identify these issues e.g. consultation, stakeholder involvement, reports, data … / Based on the information you have gathered give a summary of key issues that have been identified. / How will you mitigate these issues to improve the service? / Who is officer responsible for delivering the mitigation? / Which other departments will you work with to achieve this? / By when / Service Plan Reference /
Pregnancy and Maternity / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Age CYP / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Carers / RAISe data:
Service User Care Plans
Older People’s Commissioning Strategy (2013-18) including data mapping
Service User Questionnaires / consultations / 1.  Reconfiguring the service model may create anxiety for service users and their carers, who may feel at risk of losing support and / or changes in the way their support is provided.
2.  For some older people with mobility issues moving from building based to more community based services may impact on their ability to access certain activities / 1. Mitigation and improvements will be managed through:
Risk Assessments
Service User & Carer Consultation
PESTLE
2. The older peoples commissioning team are considering models of transport such as community transport schemes in order to alleviate this potential issue, however this will also be considered as part of the risk assessments, service user and carer consultation and PESTLE / Charlotte Walton / Assets and Economic Development
Transport
Leisure & Libraries
Members
Housing & Public Protection
Adult Social Care
Age Adult
Disability
Gender / Sex
Race/ Ethnicity
Religion or Belief
Sexual Orientation
Marriage and Civil Partnership
Gender Reassignment
Welsh Language and Culture
Poverty

Please respond to the following questions within 12 months of implementation of the proposal:

a) Was any mitigation applied or was the proposal delivered as originally planned prior to the Equality Impact Assessment?

b) Were the intended outcomes of the proposal achieved or were there other results?

c) Were the impacts confined to the people you initially thought would be effected, or were other people affected? How?

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