Equality Impact Assessment
1.
2.
3.
Name of the Strategy / Policy /
Service / Project
Champion / Responsible Lead
What are the main aims?
Stockport Health & Care Finder App
Paul Fleming





4.
List the main activities of the
project:




5.
What are the intended outcomes?




6.
To provide an accessible directory of health and social
care services to the people of Stockport.
To provide a clear link to accredited self-care and
support services to the people of Stockport.
To influence people in Stockport to use the right
services at the right time by providing them with
instantly accessible information.
To increase the accessibility of contact information
about local health and social care services in Stockport
to local GPs, other referrers and the integrated health
and social care teams.
To enable extensive and rapid access to clinical and
referral guidelines for GPs and other clinicians.
Small working group to agree what information should
be included in the app, how the organisations will
provide the required information and how it will be
maintained.
UAT to remove bugs, errors etc.
Engagement with Community, Voluntary, Advocacy
Groups, Dentists, Optometrists and other Health &
Social Care providers within the conurbation to provide
and validate content
Engagement with Public to promote Application and
maximise uptake during Winter period and beyond
People will be able to access information about
Stockport health services from their mobile or tablet
anywhere and at any time.
Public access to self-care information and local health
resources anywhere and at any time.
For clinical staff it will provide easy access to the
Directory of Services. It provides up to date
information regarding services and provides
pathway information and local referral guidelines.
The Application includes other features such as an
educational log and reminder system which
promotes the use of Smart GP on a daily basis.
For commissioners it provides an opportunity to
implement and promote new pathways across their
area. It provides a news line to inform, educate and
include clinicians and patients in commissioning. It
gives the opportunity to publish referral guidelines
and criteria instantly to our target clinical audience.
IMPACT ON SERVICE USERS
Who currently uses this service? The generic app was developed primarily for use by
Clinicians and has been modified for use by Southern
Health FT, Pennine Acute and North East Essex CCG, to
name but a few. The Stockport Health & Care Finder App
7.
Are there any clear gaps in
access to this service? (e.g. low
access by ethnic minority groups)
8.
Are there currently any barriers
to certain groups accessing this
service? (e.g. no disabled parking /
canteen doesn’t offer Kosher food /
no hearing loop)
How will this project change the
service NHS Stockport offers?
(is it likely to cut any services?)
9.
10. If you are going to cut any
services, who currently uses
those services?
(Will any equality group be more
likely to lose their existing
services?)
11. If you are creating any new
services, who most likely to
benefit from them? (Will any
equality group be more or less likely
to benefit from the changes?)
has been the first iteration directed primarily at the Public
to provide a directory of local services.
The Application is only available to owners of I-Phone
and Android Smart Phone and Tablet owners. There is
no provision for Windows Smart Phone owners or those
without Smart Phones.
As above.
This will not cut any services, rather enhance the ability
of the public to access local services. Push messages
can be issued by the CCG to communicate, effectively
reaching their target audience. There is also the ability to
collect information from users i.e. Friends & Family
Testing.
N/A
Evidence from Deloittes, 2013 has shown that 72% of people
in the UK now own a smartphone, 89% of people between 25
and 30 are the most likely to own a smartphone. Followed by
85% of 16 to 24 year olds and 54% of 54 to 65 year olds.
Within Stockport, in May 2013, a sample of 1064 residents
took place, with 300 undertaken in Priority areas (Adswood,
Brinnington and Town Centre) and 700 in Non-Priority areas.
83% of respondents possess a mobile phone. Mobile phones
ownership was highest amongst those in Non-Priority areas
(84% v 75%), those under 55 and those without a disability.
51% of respondents use their phones for internet use.
Stockport Homes conducted an exercise in Priority areas and
interviewed 720 respondents. 31% of these people owned a
smartphone which is in line with the national trend and does
not support the previous thought that social housing tenants
are in the main digitally excluded.
As previously mentioned, the App is currently available to
Android and I-Phone/I-Pad devices only
12. How will you communicate the
changes to your service?
(What communications methods will
you use to ensure this message
reaches all community groups?)
Card Drop and Engagement in Supermarkets, Town
Centre, GP practices, Pharmacies, Opticians, Dentists,
Estate agents, Nurseries, Schools, Local businesses,
District nurses, Mastercall, Libraries, Mother and baby
groups, Maternity Services, Luncheon clubs, Churches
and faith groups, Stockport College, Choices centre,
Social Workers
Press Release, Healthwatch Article, Stockport People
Article
FT, Council & GP TV Screens
Social Media comms
FT Staff Bulletin and Intranet
Engagement with charities, Voluntary organisations,
Advocacy agencies, Community support groups, A&E
patients, Neighbourhood management,
Lifestyle service, Fire service and other community
groups.
13. What have the public and
patients said about the proposed
changes?
(Is this project responding to local
needs?)
14. Is this plan likely to have a
different impact on any protected
group? (Can you justify this
differential impact? If not, what
actions will you add into the plan to
mitigate any negative impacts on
equality groups?)
Age
Carers
Disability
By marketing the app in targeted locations we can encourage
high users of NHS services to use the app. ED waiting time
performance is high. Some of the users of ED that do not
need to be there can be targeted within the service by
advertising the app on hospital TV screens and via flyers. For
those people with ACS conditions that do need to be in
hospital, the app will be able to link them to information about
expert patient courses and detailed information on managing
long term conditions. For GPs the app can support effective
prescribing and adherence to appropriate guidelines, for
example, for healthcare acquired infections like C-Diff. It will
support the communication between consultant and GP by
ensuring that information or instructions about hospital
systems and processes are easily accessible. By providing
simpler access to information using personal devices we are
enabling patients to take responsibility for finding their own
information and advice from reputed sources. This will further
support them to take control of their own health. The Smart
GP app provides advice and information when people go
looking for it. In addition, it provides the CCG with the
opportunity to target the users with healthy lifestyle alerts that
support them in preventing ill health. It can also send out
reminders about health check and screening entitlements.
IMPACT
It is often assumed that
only the younger
generation use new
technologies
N/A
Potential differential
impact on people with
sensory loss
MITIGATION
The rise of the silver-surfer dispels
this myth. There is scope within
the engagement plan to provide
demos and ensure the app is
adopted by all age-groups.
Existing communications methods
will continue to be used – this is
merely an additional source of
access to information
N/A
Local engagement has shown that
the deaf and hard of hearing
community prefer the use of
mobile phones / online
communications. Similarly, voicereader technology on phone and
iPads will open up this new
communication avenue to blind
and partial sighted people. This
Gender Reassignment
Marriage / Civil Partnership
Pregnancy & Maternity
Race
N/A
N/A
N/A
Potential differential
impact on people with
limited English
Religion & Belief
Sex
Sexual Orientation
N/A
N/A
N/A
represents a positive impact which
is objectively justifiable under the
Equality Act in its active support of
increased access to a protected
group.
N/A
N/A
N/A
Online technology allows for
easier use of translation facilities.
Existing communications methods
will continue to be used – this is
merely an additional source of
access to information.
N/A
N/A
N/A
IMPACT ON STAFF
15. How many staff work for the
Programme Manager (Paul Fleming)
current service?
Comms Team (<5 staff)
16. What is the potential impact on
Increased workload during promotional campaign.
these employees? (including
Ongoing maintenance of app content (approx. few hrs
potential redundancies, role
per month).
changes, reduced hours, changes
in terms and conditions, locality
moves)
17. Is the potential impact on staff
likely to be felt more by any
protected group? If so, can you
justify this difference? If not,
IMPACT
MITIGATION
what actions have you put in
place to reduce the differential
impact?
Potential training
Existing communications methods
Age
requirements for staff
with limited IT skills
will continue to be used – this is
merely an additional source of
access to information.
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Carers
N/A
Disability
N/A
Gender Reassignment
N/A
Marriage / Civil Partnership
N/A
Pregnancy & Maternity
N/A
Race
N/A
Religion & Belief
N/A
Sex
N/A
Sexual Orientation
18. What communication has been
Staff have undertaken training on maintenance of
undertaken with staff?
content and have an engagement plan in place.
N/A
19. Do all affected workers have
genuinely equal opportunities for
retraining or redeployment?
IMPACT ON STAKEHOLDERS
20. Who are the stakeholders for the Stockport CCG, Service Providers contained within
service?
content, General Public
21. What is the potential impact on
these stakeholders?
22. What communication has been
undertaken with stakeholders?
23. What support is being offered to
frontline staff to communicate
this message with service users /
family / carers?
24. How will you monitor the impact
of this project on equality
groups?
Easier access to local services, can build their own
personal directory through ‘favourites’. Targeted
messaging.
Ongoing Engagement with all Stakeholders through
course of project
Clear engagement plan in place to ensure target
audience is reached and content is accurate and kept
up-to-date
 Ongoing engagement with the public
 Survey to users to gauge effectiveness
 Feedback button on app to capture any issues
EIA SIGN OFF
25. Your EIA should be sent to Head of Strategic Development for approval and publication:
angela.dawber@nhs.net 0161 426 5610
Date of EIA Approval:
01/12/2014