Equality Delivery System 2022
The Equality Delivery System (EDS) was created to help NHS organisations improve their services and create work environments free of discrimination.
Since the EDS was first created in 2012 by NHS England, it has been regularly reviewed and updated. Adapted to reflect the impact of COVID-19, the latest version, EDS 2022 is now ready for live testing.
The purpose of the EDS is to help local NHS systems and organisations to review and improve their performance for people with characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. EDS 2022 will also support NHS organisations to deliver on the public sector equality duty.
The EDS was developed by the NHS, for the NHS, taking inspiration from existing work and good practice. It is a generic system designed for both NHS commissioners and NHS providers.
EDS 2022: our obligations
EDS 2022 implementation by NHS provider organisations is mandatory in the NHS Standard Contract and will continue to be a key requirement for all NHS commissioners.
Detailed information on how to implement EDS 2022 is contained in the NHS England EDS 2022 Technical Guidance.
NHS organisations should use the reporting template to produce and publish a summary of their findings and implementation. This report should then be made accessible to the public and published on the organisation’s website.
For more information, guidance, and case studies, please refer to NHS England.
