Impact assessment
What is impact assessment?
Impact Assessment is an important tool for NHS boards to check their policies and services do not inadvertently exclude or discriminate groups within the population and it is an opportunity to promote equality of opportunity and good relations.
It aids thinking about how equality can be applied to workforce and service delivery policies and functions. Health boards are required to assess the impact of their decisions, and be transparent and accountable to communities about the decisions that they are making.
The Equality Act 2010 means public authorities (including health boards) have a legal duty to have ‘due regard’ to the need to:
- eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- promote equality of opportunity
- promote good relations.
There are various toolkits and different approaches to conducting an equality impact assessment, from rapid screenings through to comprehensive impact assessments that involve systematic use of evidence. NHS Health Scotland is promoting the use of Health Inequalities Impact Assessment as a process which encourages working closely with stakeholders and use of the evidence in generating recommendations for action.