The BAcC has committed to ensuring EDI factors can be identified on our risk registers and that action is taken to support staff and member needs, and to determine if additional support is required for members and the public with protected characteristics.
A diverse and inclusive environment is one where people can thrive. For that, we must focus on equity and belonging. The BAcC wants to remove the barriers that may prevent our staff, our members and the patients they serve from accessing our services.
Our aims are:
Transparency and accountability
Taking action to engage with and be transparent about the diversity of our community, which are important steps towards our commitment to making meaningful change.
Better understand our community
Collecting EDI data in relation to our staff and membership will enable us to better understand the people with whom we have a relationship. It can help us identify issues, gaps and biases that may be present and support better engagement.
Conduct and decision making
Greater diversity can lead to improved decision-making and conduct as it helps reduce the biases. It will also help the BAcC understand the sector we operate in.
Risk identification and management
By carrying out equal opportunities monitoring, we can identify areas of risk, dissatisfaction and concerns and mitigate those risks at an earlier stage.
Next steps
The very first step is to identify those areas where there is need for improvement, and where additional support is required for staff, members and the public who have protected characteristics.
It is important for all our members, no matter their protected characteristics, to be supported by BAcC. This is the first stage in providing meaningful support to those who may otherwise be underserved by the organisation.
In order to create positive change, accurate data is needed to identify areas for appropriate intervention and to be able to measure progress. How will we do this? To start with, by asking personal questions.
We are now building EDI data gathering tools starting with the addition of an EDI tab on the member dashboard. We appreciate that, for some, this can be incredibly sensitive information, and therefore submission of information by members in this new section of the dashboard will be completely voluntary. Information will not be shared with a third party and can be deleted if the member wishes.
Collection of this data will:
- ensure EDI factors can be identified on our risk registers and action is taken to support staff and member needs.
- help determine if additional support is required for members and the public with protected characteristics.
- allow BAcC to undertake campaigns on EDI for all members with appropriate speakers, resources, and materials.
- enable us to continuously review our communications policy to ensure it supports a culture promoting EDI, including but not limited to content imagery, highlighting key calendar dates/events. We will be able to produce policies, webinars and best practice guides to help members and aid them in their compliance under the law in their interactions with patients and other members.
As we continue to work to develop our policies around Equity (formally Equality), Diversity and Inclusion, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries or concerns. Please email: info@acupuncture.org.uk.
Gloria Jean-Baptiste Flament
Systems & Operations Manager
June 2023
