Public Health Scotland has launched a suite of information resources to improve collection of equalities data, including reports, leaflets and a new learning hub.
The launch comes after a collaboration between PHS, University of Strathclyde and Homeless Network Scotland, that investigated the key barriers to gathering equalities data, which historically has been poorly recorded.
Equalities data relates to patient information on protected characteristics under The Equality Act 2010, including age, disability, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
Improving data quality will allow NHS services in Scotland to monitor and understand which groups of people experiencing disadvantages when it comes to health – who is or isn’t using services – and design services to meet patient needs.
An online survey of NHS Scotland staff with a duty to ask for equality data from patients as part of their usual healthcare role was also carried out.
Public Health Scotland said the engagement process found that barriers to patients providing information included information-sharing environments not feeling safe, secure or accessible, and experiences were not always free from racism or discrimination.
Healthcare staff highlighted they did not feel confident asking for equalities data and felt they did not have best practice guidance on how to do this.