NHS commitment to disability grows

02 November 2007

NHS commitment to disability grows

The NHS shows a growing commitment to disability equality, according to a report published today by Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD).

The results of the Disability Standard 2007 benchmarking survey show the NHS to be setting goals to enable disabled people to reach their full potential in employment.

Results also show that the NHS is making efforts to understand the requirements of disabled people who use their services, particularly in relation to the development of their Disability Equality Schemes, published last year.

Key findings from the Disability Standard include:

• An average of 72% of NHS trusts have carried out research to establish the extent to which disabled people are accessing the services they provide.
• An average of 87% of trusts use this information to review and adjust their Disability Equality Schemes.

Caroline Leon, Employers' Forum on Disability key projects manager said: “It is encouraging that the NHS Trusts that took part in the Disability Standard are conducting research with disabled service users and using the results of this research to review and adjust their Disability Equality Schemes.

“It is important that these organisations continue to measure the impact of their actions on disabled people and ensure disability equality across the organisation.”

Susan Scott-Parker, chief executive of EFD says: “We want all businesses and organisations to understand the need to adopt disability as a business issue.

“Becoming disability confident will benefit NHS trusts as well as the disabled people they serve and employ.”

The Benchmark Survey is sponsored by Motability Operations.

Ends

The results of the Employers' Forum Disability Standard 2007 will be released in full at the 'Benchmark for action' conference and reception, hosted by HM Treasury, London, on 2 November.

For interviews, case studies or a copy of the full Employers' Forum Disability Standard report please contact:

Liz Nightingale, Communications Manager
Employers' Forum on Disability
Email: liz.nightingale@efd.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7403 3020

About Employers' Forum on Disability

Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers. With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 20 per cent of the UK workforce.Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers

www.efd.org.uk

About the Disability Standard

The Disability Standard is the only management tool that enables organisations to accurately measure their performance on disability, in every way it affects the business, and to put in place action plans that deliver real business improvement.

116 organisations took part in the Disability Standard 2007, between them employing around two million people in the UK.

Eight NHS trusts took part in the survey.