How to complete an equality impact assessment
Be clear about what you're assessing
Is it the whole service? Projects within a service? A group of related policies?
Collect data and consultation results and consider what it tells you
Are there differences between the ways different groups use the service?
Does everyone benefit from the service equally?
Do you have a wide variety of staff or volunteers?
Identify actual and possible impacts on all groups protected in law
How might the changes affect different service-users or staff in different ways?
Are there gaps in your knowledge or data? How will you fill them?
Action plan to increase access and opportunities
How could you reduce negative impacts and remove barriers?
How can you increase access to your service for all groups and make the service better? Who else could help with this?
Monitor and evaluate progress
What’s improving as a result of your actions?
What isn’t working - how could you make it work? What new issues are emerging?
You must review your EIA regularly and use it as part of your service review.