An NHS organisation under the Equality Act 2010 has general duties known as the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The PSED requires NHS organisations to have "due regard" to the need to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation related to protected characteristics.
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share protected characteristics and those who do not.
- Foster good relations between persons sharing protected characteristics and those who do not.
Additionally, NHS organisations must consider these duties in their decisions including in employment, policy development, service delivery, commissioning, and procurement. The protected characteristics under the Act are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. To support these duties, specific legal obligations require NHS organisations to:
- Publish information demonstrating compliance with the equality duty, at least annually.
- Set and publish specific, measurable equality objectives at least every four years.
These duties aim to integrate equality considerations into all aspects of NHS work and make the organisation accountable to the public in promoting equality and preventing discrimination.
