Toggle site contrast Toggle Contract

NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group ceased to exist at midnight on 30 June 2022.  From 1 July 2022, its functions have been transferred to NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board which is part of our new Health and Care Partnership.  This website is no longer being maintained and will be archived shortly.  
Please visit our new Integrated Care Board website or the Health and Care Partnership website.

Equality and Diversity

The BLMK area is home to almost 1 million people – people of all ages, living different lives, with different beliefs, interests and priorities. We want to make sure that all these people, whoever and wherever they are, can live healthy lives with equal access to the very best healthcare to meet their diverse needs.  

We believe that everyone should have equal opportunities in life and that no-one should be placed at a disadvantage over others. 

We are working together to make changes

We’re working with our partners to address health inequalities in our area.

Group of people standing with their back to cameraWe’re also working to make sure that people with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities, looked after children and other vulnerable groups get the appropriate healthcare and support, right when and where they need it. 

We are currently working on a joint equality and diversity strategy that will set out our approach to promoting equality and reducing health inequalities across BLMK.

This new strategy will show how we can place equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights at the heart of everything we do.

It will also ensure the best possible outcomes for our community, our staff and those seldom heard groups who we’re aware can often experience health inequalities.

Our Action Plan for BLMK

Please use the download link below to view our joint BLMK equality and diversity action plan.

Individual CCG Strategies

If you’d like to view the individual strategies for each of the three CCGs, they are available here. 

WRES Reporting Template

If you’d like to view the WRES reporting template for each CCG, they are available here.

In this section

Our legal duties 

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from unreasonable or unfavourable treatment and discrimination because of the following ‘protected characteristics’. 

  • Age, including specific ages and age groups 
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment 
  • Marriage and civil partnership 
  • Pregnancy and maternity 
  • Race, including ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality 
  • Religion or belief, including lack of belief 
  • Gender 
  • Sexual orientation 

 

 

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, Human Rights Act 1998 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012, we continually strive to be inclusive and legally compliant, and to actively address inequalities and disadvantages.

In particular, we aim to: 

  • eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation in our community, our workforce and for patients using our local healthcare services; 
  • support equal opportunities between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who don’t share it; and 
  • reduce inequalities between patients, both in their ability to access health services and the health outcomes achieved for them.