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Equality objectives

About the Online NHS Trust

Online NHS Trust has been established to be a national provider of elective outpatient care delivered digitally and is expecting to launch clinical services in Q3 2027/28. It will operate to the same regulatory, governance and safety standards as any other NHS Trust, but without a physical hospital site.

Using NHS Online is optional. Anyone who prefers face-to-face appointments will continue to use existing services as usual.

Our Public Sector Equality Duty

As an NHS Trust, we are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. This places a legal responsibility on us, when exercising our functions, to have due regard to the need to:

  1. Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
  2. Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
  3. Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

These duties apply to all aspects of our work, including the design and delivery of services, digital platforms, commissioning and procurement activity, employment practices, policy development and strategic decision-making.

As an NHS Trust focused on digital delivery, we recognise that the way services are designed and delivered can have a significant impact on access, experience and outcomes. Digital services have the potential to improve efficiency and convenience, but also risk excluding some people if equality considerations are not embedded from the outset. Meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty therefore requires us to give explicit consideration to digital inclusion, accessibility and health inequalities, alongside workforce equality and organisational culture.

We pay due regard to the needs of people who share one or more of the nine protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010:

  1. Age
  2. Disability
  3. Gender reassignment
  4. Pregnancy and maternity
  5. Race
  6. Religion or belief
  7. Sex
  8. Sexual orientation
  9. Marriage and civil partnership

We are also mindful of the interaction between protected characteristics and wider factors associated with health inequalities, including deprivation, digital access and confidence, language, literacy and geography.

Our equality objectives

Our equality objectives set out how we will meet our statutory duties and contribute to reducing inequalities in access, experience and outcomes for both patients and staff. These objectives are reviewed regularly, and progress is reported publicly on an annual basis. Our approach is informed by Equalities and Human Rights Commission and the PSED.

Equality Objective 1: Equitable access to digital services

To consider inequalities in scope and build of digital products that will ensure that people can access and use our digital services on an equitable basis, regardless of protected characteristic, disability, or confidence when services launch.

NHS Online will be following the Government's Digital accessibility requirements as far as possible and only deviating where there is an identified need to adhere to clinical safety.

Target 1a
Design and maintain digital services that meet recognised accessibility standards
Target 1b
Provide reasonable adjustments and accessible information formats in public facing information about the service

Equality Objective 2: Fair and inclusive digital design and decision-making

Ensure that digital systems, technologies and decision-making processes do not disadvantage people with protected characteristics and are developed in a fair, transparent and inclusive way, supporting a level playing field in experience and outcomes.

Target 2a
Embed equality considerations throughout service design and change
Target 2b
Regularly engage with service users to feedback, inform service design and ensure that patient's experience is captured

Equality Objective 3: An inclusive and supportive workforce

Create a fair, inclusive and supportive working environment where all staff have equal opportunity to thrive, progress and contribute, including within remote and digital-enabled roles.

Target 3a
Take steps to address any inequalities in recruitment, retention, development and progression
Target 3b
Support flexible and inclusive ways of working where possible and ensure that reasonable adjustments are available and effective
Target 3c
Ensure policies created support improved recruitment, retention, development and experience of our workforce

Equality Objective 4: Strong governance, accountability and engagement

Embed equality, diversity and inclusion into our governance, leadership and decision-making, ensuring accountability and meaningful engagement with patients, staff and communities.

Target 4a
Provide assurance of the Public Sector Equality Duty objectives through board-level oversight

Reporting and review

We will publish equality information and report progress against these objectives annually.

PSED is an ongoing duty, and these objectives will be kept under review to ensure they remain meaningful, proportionate and responsive to the needs of the populations we serve and the people who work for us.