What people said would improve Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in health and care services across West Yorkshire?

1. Accessible Communication: Clear communication adapted to people’s needs is vital to them having equal access and benefit from health and care services.
2. Accessible, person-centred and holistic care: It is important for people that professionals understand them as a ‘whole person’ rather than their symptoms or diagnosis.
3. Design and adapting services in line with community need: There is often a disconnect between what professionals think people need and what they actually need.
4. Diversity in workforce and leadership: People benefit from seeing and speaking to people like them in health and care services and would like to see diversity in leadership roles.
5. Make services welcoming: People want to be able to go into a service without fear of judgement and feel safe.
6. Compassionate and culturally competent care: It is important to people that services are culturally sensitive, and that staff understand their background and culture.
7. Early Intervention and preventative care: Lack of early intervention can make things worse for people and exacerbate health inequalities.
8. Creating a strategy and accountability: People want whatever is in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy to happen and for people to be accountable.
9. Missing Voices: There were still many voices missing from the conversation around the EDI strategy and we need to hear from these to get the strategy right.