Quality and Equality Impact Assessments (QEIA)
NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (the “ICB”) is committed to ensuring that commissioning decisions, business cases and any other business plans are appropriately evaluated for any potential impact on quality and equality.
Conducting a QEIA is more about improving services for people, whatever their background or circumstances and less about compliance with a process. Having a team approach, enables better working towards organisational and system goals, and to make improvements to contribute to a healthier, happier, and fairer Derbyshire.
The QEIA process is owned by project leads and is a continuous process, which enables decision makers and project owners to think through and understand the risks and consequences of possible business changes on quality, equality, and impacts on the wider Integrated Care System.
When to complete a QEIA
Project leads should consider completing a QEIA at the “case for change” stage of any service change to understand any quality or equality risks and opportunities in building options. As the QEIA is a continuous process it is expected that it should be updated at intervals in the project lifespan.
If the project only affects one provider, then the QEIA should be considered as part of the provider internal process.
ICB lead decisions or those that affect more than one provider should be considered at the JUCD system QEIA panel.
QEIA tool
You can find a copy of the tool below.
This form needs to be completed and then sent to the QEIA inbox ddicb.qeiajucd@nhs.net
Resources are being developed to support completion including a ‘How to Guide’ and staff training. This page will be updated as soon as these are available.
Further information on Equality is available here.
QEIA Panel meetings
The QEIA panel meetings have been developed to act as a supportive critical friend and offer appropriate confirm and challenge about project lead’s risk assessments on quality and equality impacts.
This is not an approval group and ownership of the QEIA sits with the project lead.
It is an essential process for any service change and this is reflected in the requirements for any decision making committee.
Advice and Support
There is a great deal of advice and support available from the Quality and Equality Team in completing the tool and attending the panel meeting.
Please contact ddicb.qeiajucd@nhs.net and a member of the team will be in touch to discuss any questions with you.