Equality Target Action Groups

NHS Bolton, in partnership with Bolton CVS Health & Care Together has set up seven Equality Target Action Groups (ETAG) focusing on: age, carers, disability, gender, race, religion/belief and sexual orientation. The Equality Target Action Groups are a way for individuals, groups and organisations to inform and guide equality and diversity within local health services and also to feed back information and good practice to the wider community and other partner agencies.

NHS Bolton’s Commitment to Equality

NHS Bolton recognises that people experience discrimination and unfair treatment because of their age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, racial group, religion/ belief or sexual orientation. We believe that by working with communities to better understand their needs we are better able to tailor our services in a way that promotes equality and eliminates discrimination and unfair treatment, and will ultimately help improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Bolton. The publication of NHS Bolton’s Single Equality Scheme sets outs how we plan to achieve this.

This Scheme describes our commitment to ensuring that services and employment practices are fair, accessible and appropriate for the diverse communities we serve and the workforce we employ. The Scheme is an equality and diversity strategy explaining how we will:
Promote equality.
Work with partners, patients, staff and the local community in the development, implementation and review of the Single Equality Scheme.
Meet our legal responsibilities under Equality Legislation and the various Equality Duties.
Ensure that equality and fairness are embedded in service delivery, planning, commissioning and employment.
Create an environment where all staff and service users are treated with dignity and respect.

What do Equality Action Target Groups do?

Bolton’s Equality Target Action Groups (ETAG) include patients and service users and service providers who will advise NHS Bolton on equality and diversity issues relevant to them. Examples of ways in which the groups may influence service include; involvement in Equality Impact Assessments and holding mangers to account, raising issues relating to health concerns or barriers to services, identifying training needs and supporting the development of appropriate equality training for staff.

The work of these Equality Target Action Groups is highly valued and is demonstrated by the level of support and commitment given to them. For example, these groups are supported by NHS Bolton’s Equality and Diversity Partnership, which is a multi-agency group, attended by Senior Managers and chaired by an NHS Bolton Board Non-Executive Director. The Chair of each Equality Target Action Group also has a seat on this Group. The Partnership reports directly to the Board of the NHS Bolton and guides the work of the managers in relation to equality and service improvement. This places our commitment to Equality and Diversity and the input of the Equality Target Action Groups, at the very heart of the organisation’s decision-making processes.

What’s in it for me?

Have my voice heard
Make a difference
Help influence and improve services
Support the NHS in Bolton in promoting Equality, Diversity and Fairness.

Get involved

The Equality Target Action Groups are supported and administered by the Bolton Community and Voluntary Services, an independent charity working in Bolton. If you would like to find out more or get involved contact

Health & Care Together: 01204 546050 email hct@boltoncvs.org.uk

To find out more about NHS Bolton’s wider work on Equality & Diversity visit http://www.bolton.nhs.uk/your-pct/equaldiversity/index.asp.