The National Treatment Agency and the Centre for Ethnicity & Health at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) have joined forces to create the first interactive CD-rom to evaluate and develop a drug and alcohol services equality and diversity strategy. The CD has been produced so organisations can systematically assess their capability of addressing equality and diversity and assist with compliance to relevant legislation.
Both the NTA and UCLAN have responded to requests from the sector to support their compliance with equality and diversity legislation and improve practice to enable the delivery of effective treatment to all who need it.
Paul Hayes, Chief Executive of the NTA said today: As drug treatment services work with more people we need to see the sector adapt to ensure that services reflect the needs of the whole community they serve.
Kamlesh Patel, Head of the Centre for Ethnicity and Health at UCLAN said today: Diversity and equality needs to be more than just words to have practical and sustained impact in this area, organisations need to have commitment demonstrated by strong leadership; a systematic process of improvement which is shared and owned by all staff, service users and local communities. We believe this interactive tool provides a practical step by step and comprehensive way forward for organisations to ensure this becomes core business.
The package has already been piloted with services to positive feedback. The interactive CD-rom provides 2 key elements:
Audit and self assessment tool including :
- Detailed guidance
- Action planning tools, and
- Case studies illustrating practice examples;
Sources of support and guidance which include :
- a wide range of relevant equality legislative & policy material
- on-line access to a diversity library
To order a copy, email communications@nta-nhs.org.uk
Posted: 14th March 2006
