Derbyshire County Council
Equality Impact Assessment Record Form
Department
Environmental Services
Service Area Responsible
Integrated Transport
Chair of Assessment Group
Steve Cannon
Title of Policy/ Service/
Function
Improving transport and access to
healthcare facilities
Stage 1. Prioritising what to impact assess
1.1
Why has this policy, service or function been chosen?
Improving access to essential services is a high priority in the Local
Transport Plan (LTP) and it is one of the key targets included in the
Local Area Agreement (LAA). The consultation undertaken for the LTP
identified difficulties accessing hospitals, doctor’s surgeries and other
healthcare facilities as areas of significant concern for people who do
not have access to a private car.
Developments in the way health services are provided, such as
telephone advice services or home visits, can help to improve the
overall level of access to healthcare. There remains, however, a
significant need for people to travel to medical appointments and for
preventative treatments. This assessment focuses on the transport
difficulties that people face as well as proposals to help fill some of the
gaps in existing provision by improving and extending dial-a-ride and
community car schemes.
1.2
Why does the policy, service or function exist/ what is its
purpose? Who should benefit?
Transport to healthcare facilities for people who do not have access to
private transport is provided by a number of organisations and agencies
including:
 Non-emergency patient transport
 Dial-a- Ride Services
 Community car schemes
 Local bus and train services
 Taxis
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The focus is on overcoming the barriers that prevent people having
access to the transport, and hence the services, that they need. The
transport services listed above are not available to all sectors of the
community and some people may be excluded on grounds of
affordability, availability of transport, access to information, or individual
needs (for example, people with impaired mobility may require use of an
adapted or accessible vehicle).
Stage 2.
Pulling an assessment team together
Name
Area of expertise/ role
Steve Cannon (Chair)
Management, transport strategy,
transport and accessibility planning
Rebecca Pennyfather
Accessibility planning - analysis,
mapping, consultation, strategy
development
Elaine Wachlarz
Community transport, links with health
sector, consultation
Dave Wood
Transport services, including social care
transport and transport provision for
children with special educational needs
Stage 3.
Scoping of the assessment / identifying likely issues
The focus is on improving access to healthcare for individuals who do
not have access to existing transport services. The following are
expected to be of particular importance:
 meeting the needs of people with disabilities that make it difficult
for them to use existing transport services
 addressing the needs of people who cannot afford to use existing
services
 securing improved transport provision in areas that are poorly
served by existing transport services. This is expected to be a
particular problem in, but not limited to, rural areas.
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The likely issues are thought to be:
 identifying effective and efficient means of improving access to
healthcare
 ensuring a good fit with existing transport services – emphasis to
be on plugging the gaps in existing services and avoiding
duplication
 securing the use of accessible vehicles and trained staff to meet
the needs of disabled people
 ensuring adequate capacity to meet peak levels of demand and
provide a consistent and reliable service
 identification of opportunities to make more efficient use of the
available resources (eg by ‘sharing’ a vehicle)
In undertaking this assessment it is accepted that a number of issues
relating to individual needs and service provision may emerge when the
service starts to operate. This will be addressed by building in flexibility
for local schemes to adapt their services to changing needs and by a
process of ongoing monitoring and periodic review.
Stage 4.
Pulling together all the information
Name of source
Reason for using
Travel to Healthcare Facilities in
Derbyshire and Derby City, PCT
Report, 2008
Health sector perspective on
patient needs
Accessibility mapping using
‘Accession’ software
Consistent countywide analysis.
Up-to-date database of facilities
and transport services.
Identifies gaps in existing
provision.
Consultation with healthcare
providers, patient groups and
transport providers
Provides additional intelligence
and ability to cross check empirical
data.
Stage 5.
5.1
Assessing the impact or effects
What does customer feedback, complaints, and discussions with
stakeholder groups tell you about your service, policy and
function, including which aspects are seen as negative,
inaccessible, unhelpful, difficult to use etc?
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Analysis of the available data, consultation with relevant agencies and
an appreciation of current arrangements have identified the following
difficulties/issues with existing transport provision:
 Public transport is limited and sometimes inconvenient, especially
in more rural areas of Derbyshire
 Dial-a-ride services are not available in all areas
 Dial-a-ride services, where they do exist, have limited capacity
and cannot be afforded by some potential users
 Community car schemes have limited capacity, are constrained
by the availability of volunteer drivers and may be unable to meet
the needs of disabled passengers
 There is a need to increase the availability of accessible vehicles
 Many people want to be accompanied by friends or family
members
 Transport difficulties can be a barrier to participation in
preventative treatments
5.2
What does your information tell you about the effects of the
policy, service or function on the lives of different groups or
communities? Is any of this negative or unwanted?
Groups
Effects identified from data/ information
People living in rural areas
Limited or infrequent public transport
makes access difficult for people without
cars. The proposals should increase
travel options for people living in rural
areas.
People with impaired mobility
or other disabilities
May find it difficult to use public
transport and other vehicles that are not
adapted to meet the needs of disabled
people. Community Transport Dial-aRide vehicles are fully accessible and
drivers are trained to nationally
recognised standards to help
passengers with special needs.
People on low incomes
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The cost of using existing Dial-a-Ride
services is prohibitive for some users.
By contributing towards the operating
costs the proposals should enable the
charges to the user to be reduced.
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Vulnerable people, including
The proposed services (Dial-a-Ride and
people who are elderly or frail community car schemes) both provide a
personal door-to-door service.
Community Transport vehicles are fully
accessible and drivers are trained to
meet the needs of vulnerable users.
Younger people
Young people needing access to
healthcare who are unable to use public
transport (for example because of a
disability) or who do not have access to
public transport would be eligible to use
the proposed service.
People without access to
private cars
The main focus of the proposed
improvements to the service is on
meeting the needs of people who do not
have access to a car.
People making private
arrangements to access
healthcare
The majority of Derbyshire residents will
continue to make private arrangements
to access healthcare by car, public
transport, taxi or by travelling with
friends and relatives. They would not
be disadvantaged by the proposals.
People using existing
community or voluntary
sector transport services
Discussions have taken place with
existing providers to ensure that new
schemes are complementary to and do
not duplicate existing services. Existing
users of these services will not be
disadvantaged by the proposals.
People seeking access to
fitness/exercise classes and
other preventative or lifestyle
treatments
The proposed service is intended to
improve access to medical
appointments and to other activities that
promote health and well-being.
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Women who may prefer
female drivers and passenger
assistants, for example,
because of religious or
cultural beliefs.
Community transport schemes use male
and female drivers and passenger
assistants. Requests for a female driver
can normally be accommodated subject
to staff availability and scheduling.
People who may have
difficulty finding out about the
proposed service because of
language or cultural barriers
(eg ethnic minorities,
travellers, asylum seekers)
It is possible that some groups will make
less use of the available services
because they are not made aware of
the service or because they have
insufficient information.
Lesbian, gay men, bisexuals
and transgender people
Eligibility for the proposed services will
be based on individual needs and the
availability of public transport and is not
affected by sexual orientation.
Stage 6. Ways of reducing or removing unwanted effects
What small steps could be taken to achieve improvements? Please
outline the main things that need to be altered to reduce any illegal,
negative and unwanted impact.
The proposals are specifically designed to meet the needs of people
who find it difficult to use existing transport services to access
healthcare facilities. As such, there appear to be relatively few negative
impacts.
Monitoring and review of the scheme, however, will seek to identify any
adverse impacts and consideration will be given to measures that will
help to mitigate any negative impacts that may emerge when the
proposals come into effect.
Possible adverse effects identified at this stage, together with proposed
mitigation measures are as follows:
 Requests for female drivers and passenger assistants – the
Community Transport schemes use both male and female drivers
and passenger assistants. Careful attention to staff scheduling
should mean that such requests could normally be met. The
situation will need to be carefully monitored and further initiatives
taken should this emerge as a significant issue in any area.
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 Adverse impact on existing services and their users – discussions
have taken place with other service providers to help ensure that
the new services are complementary to and do not detract in any
way from existing services. Previous experience of introducing
similar initiatives did not reveal any adverse impacts, however the
situation will be monitored and remedial action taken in the event
of any adverse impact on existing services.
 People in some minority groups do not take advantage of the new
services because of language and other communication barriers
– advice will be sought from relevant groups and organisations on
the most effective means of disseminating information.
Stage 7.
Finding out whether your assessment has identified
what people think needs changing.
Two rounds of consultation have been undertaken with representatives
of groups that use, provide or have an interest in the proposals to
improve access to healthcare facilities.
The first round included:
 Patient representatives, including Patient Participation Groups
and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
 Health providers including facility managers
 Representatives of CVS Community Car schemes
 Representatives of Community Transport schemes
Key findings from the consultation were that while the proposed scheme
would go some way towards meeting the need for better access to
healthcare, there remained a high level of unmet demand. It was
suggested that officers should seek to secure a further increase in
funding to address these needs. It was accepted that Community
Transport schemes were well placed to meet these needs, but there
was concern that any new or expanded scheme should not adversely
impact on any existing transport provision.
The second stage of the consultation was a more limited exercise that
involved going back to representative groups (in the Swadlincote area
and the North East of the County) to check the initial findings and to ask
them for their views on emerging ideas and proposals.
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Stages 8 and 9 Action planning, target setting and monitoring
TARGETS / SUCCESS CRITERIA
ACTION
LEAD RESP
PARTNERS
RESOURCES
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS/
MILESTONES
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
Amber Valley - to sustain and develop the
existing community car scheme and to offer a
complementary dial-a-ride service
EW
Amber Valley
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Ashbourne area- to expand the existing dial-aride service in Ashbourne to the surrounding
rural areas
EW
Ashbourne
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
Bakewell area - to sustain and develop the
existing community car scheme and dial-a-ride
service to areas not currently served (eg
Darley Dale and Matlock)
EW
Bakewell and Eyam
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
Chesterfield - to establish a new community
car scheme in the Chesterfield, Bolsover and
North East Derbyshire areas
EW
Chesterfield
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
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ACTION
LEAD RESP
PARTNERS
Clowne - to develop the dial-a-ride service
across Bolsover, Chesterfield and North East
Derbyshire to complement the Chesterfield
community car scheme
EW
Clowne Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
Erewash – to develop a new dial-a-ride
service
EW
Erewash
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
High Peak - to re-establish a previously
successful dial-a-ride service in the High Peak
area
EW
Glossop Community Joint funding from
Transport scheme
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
South Derbyshire – to establish a new dial-aride service in South Derbyshire
EW
Swadlincote
Community
Transport scheme
Joint funding from
DCC and PCT
Passenger journeys
Vehicle kms
Vehicle hours
Provide effective, targeted and appropriate
publicity material to encourage awareness and
use of existing and new transport services
EW
DCC Public Relations
PCT
Community and
voluntary sector
providers
To be determined
Take-up of services
Feedback from
partners and patient
representatives
Monitor and review the implementation and
effectiveness of the proposals and
recommend modifications as appropriate
SC
PCT
CT schemes
To be determined
Passenger journeys
Passenger/ health
provider feedback
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RESOURCES
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS/
MILESTONES
ACTION
LEAD RESP
Identify areas of need not met by current
proposals and develop further initiatives to
improve access to healthcare
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RP
PARTNERS
PCT
Community and
voluntary sector
providers
RESOURCES
To be identified
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS/
MILESTONES
Accessibility
indicators
Step 10. Have your main actions been added to the relevant
business or service plan(s)?
Please indicate below which actions to which plans
Action planned
Business /
Service Plan
How will performance be
tracked and reported?
Proposed improvements
in access to healthcare
Environmental
Services
Reports to Cabinet Member
Local Transport
LTP monitoring reports
Plan (LTP)
Step 11. Publishing your assessment
Copies of the assessment are available from the Integrated Transport
Group, Environmental Services, County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4
3AG.
Contact for further information:
Steve Cannon
tel
01629 538148
email
steve.cannon@derbyshire.gov.uk
Publication Date: June 2010
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