Equality and diversity 

Message from the Chief Executive, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust

At Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust we respect and value the diversity of our patients, their relatives and carers, and our staff. We are committed to meeting the needs and expectations of the diverse communities we serve and providing high quality care. In striving to achieve this we will make best use of the range of talents and experience of our workforce.

Salisbury Awarded NHS Equality and Diversity Partner status

Following a rigorous application process we have been selected as one of 13 NHS organisations nationally that have been awarded 'NHS Equality and Diversity Partner' Status by NHS Employers. This will enable us to promote equality, share information, compare performance nationally and help influence the development of equality and diversity policies in the NHS It will also means that we will have to show what we are doing to improve health outcomes for everyone regardless of their background and enable our staff to achieve their full potential.

Public sector duties

This is set against the backdrop of the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty which became law on 5 April 2011. This strengthens equality legislation through a series of themes (called Protected Characteristics), which provide additional protection from discrimination and a further requirement for organisations to promote equality. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion and belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnerships.

The Trust complies with the law and aims to further develop better practice to ensure that we continue to:
• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by law
• advance equality of opportunity
• foster good relations between different equality groups.