Equality and diversity

Our commitment to equality and diversity

We are committed to equality for our staff and patients. We recognise and value difference in its broadest sense.

These values are embedded in the way we run our hospitals. We work with our patients as partners to understand and meet their individual needs. We also work with community groups and local partner organisations to make sure services meet the needs of our local communities.

Legislation and regulations

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 simplified and harmonised previous equality legislation. The Act provides a framework for removing discrimination in UK society. It requires public sector organisations to show how they are promoting and delivering equality.

Human Rights Act 1998

The Human Rights Act ensures that a minimum standard of living can be guaranteed for all those residing in the UK. It localises the rights written in the European Convention on Human Rights (1950), and all UK laws must be compatible with the Act.

Gender Recognition Act 2004

The Gender Recognition Act provides people who are transitioning from their birth gender to their acquired gender, full legal recognition and safeguards to protect their privacy.

Health and Social Care Act

The Health and Social Care Act details how health and social care will be delivered in the UK.

Your rights under the Accessible Information Standard

Professional codes of conduct

NHS Constitution

The NHS Constitution explains what staff, patients and the public can expect from the National Health Service.

Easy Read version of the constitution

Our policies and guidelines

Our equality policies

Acas guidelines

These guidelines are produced by Acas and relate to our role as an employer.

Improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace

Our reports

Meeting our patients’ needs

Arrangements for your appointment

If you need a reasonable adjustment or are worried about whether a building you are due to visit is accessible, please contact the department directly. The contact details are in your appointment letter or you can use our service directory. You can also contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

We would like everyone to be able to understand the information we provide. We offer a range of services to help patients get the most from their appointment or stay in hospital.

What we offer

Interpreting services including:
- Sussex Interpreting Services (video interpreting) – provider of face-to-face overseas language interpreters
- Vandu Language Services (video interpreting) – provider of face-to-face overseas language interpreters
- Action Deafness – provider of face-to-face British Sign Language (BSL) and lip speaking interpreters
- SignLive – remote British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
- Language Line – provider of telephone overseas language interpreters
Information in a range of formats, including Braille, overseas languages, Easy Read, large print and audio
Appointment letters in different languages
Textphone and SMS text messaging using Relay UK
Learning disabilities liaison team:
- Contact on 01273 664975 or email LDLTreferral@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
- Read guidance on the NHS website
Hospital passports
Patient advocates
Sonido listening devices
The Hospital Communication Book
Deaf/blind (dual sensory) support
Read more about our website accessibility.

Contact

If your requirements are not being met, please let us know so we can fix this. Please contact your clinicians in the first instance, or contact our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion inbox: uhsussex.equality@nhs.net

Staff networks

Our 20,000+ workforce is as diverse as the patients we treat, and we celebrate that diversity. We offer a wide range of active staff groups within the Trust including including our network groups for LGBTQi+ (LGBT, LGBTQ), Disability, and SOAR for our Black, Asian and ethnic minority colleagues and allies.

Find out more about what’s on offer on our staff networks page.

Equalities monitoring information

Equality legislation requires us to undertake monitoring. Monitoring is a process of collecting and analysing diversity data about patients and staff. It can help with assessing how fair an organisation is.

We collect and store monitoring data according to strict data protection laws and guidelines. The data is reported on a purely statistical basis and is not traceable to the originating source.

Monitoring data helps us to ensure we are targeting our services to meet local needs. It also helps to direct the correct funding to relevant services. We also use it to check whether our workforce is reflective of the communities we serve, and to assess the impact of our policies and procedures on certain groups.