The Equality Delivery System (EDS) is a national NHS framework designed to help organisations improve outcomes for patients, support staff wellbeing and strengthen inclusive leadership. It supports NHS organisations in England to work with patients, the public, staff, staff networks, community organisations and trade unions to understand how well they are addressing health inequalities. The EDS focuses on three key areas – services, workforce and leadership – and is informed by evidence, data and meaningful engagement.
During 2025/26, the Trust reviewed its approach to equality, diversity and inclusion using the EDS framework. This involved assessing performance across three domains, each with a set of defined outcomes. The review process was evidence‑based and informed by engagement with staff, service users and key stakeholders, providing a clear picture of progress and areas for continued improvement.
Domain One – Commissioned or Provided Services
As part of the 2025/26 EDS assessment, Maternity, Children and Young People’s Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), and Diabetes services undertook detailed service reviews. In line with national EDS requirements, the Trust submitted the middle‑scoring service, SALT, as its formal Domain One submission. The review focused on access to services, meeting individual needs, patient safety and experience, and demonstrated how services are adapting to better meet the needs of diverse communities.
Domain Two – Workforce Health and Wellbeing
This domain considered how the Trust supports the health, wellbeing and experience of its workforce. The review highlighted a wide range of support available to staff across physical, psychological, financial and social wellbeing. It also recognised ongoing work to create a safe and inclusive working environment, including action to prevent bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence, and to ensure staff have access to independent advice and support when needed.
Domain Three – Inclusive Leadership
The Inclusive Leadership domain assessed how equality and health inequalities are embedded into leadership behaviours, decision‑making and organisational culture. The review considered the visibility and commitment of senior leaders, how equality considerations are reflected in governance processes, and how progress is monitored and improved. The Trust’s continued commitment to becoming an anti‑racist organisation was a key feature of this year’s assessment. The review also recognised the contribution of the Healthier Futures programme, which has demonstrated strong and inclusive engagement with service users, staff and local communities. Through meaningful public involvement and partnership working, Healthier Futures is helping to shape the design of future services in ways that better reflect community need and support the reduction of health inequalities.
Overall assessment
The Trust achieved an overall EDS rating of ‘Achieving’, with a score of 26 out of a possible 33 points, consistent with the previous year. This reflects sustained progress in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across services, the workforce and leadership. Learning from the EDS process continues to inform the Trust’s priorities and improvement plans, supporting its ongoing commitment to delivering fair, inclusive and high‑quality care for the communities it serves.
