Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Week 2025: Championing inclusive health and care in Kingston
From 19 to 23 May 2025, Healthwatch Kingston proudly joins the national celebration of Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Week (#EQW2025), spearheaded by NHS Employers. This year's themes—neurodiversity, cultural diversity, legal changes in equality, sexual safety, and active bystander intervention—highlight the ongoing efforts to foster a culture of inclusion and safety within health and social care.
Local Initiatives Promoting Equality and Inclusion
AccessAble
AccessAble is a guide providing accessibility information for venues across the UK and Ireland, including shops, local services, hospitals and more. Use AccessAble to find wheelchair friendly venues or check out disabled access and facilities in Kingston.
AccessAble Royal Borough of Kingston
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is dedicated to delivering culturally sensitive, inclusive, accessible, and fair services. Their Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee provides strategic direction and leadership to promote EDI within the Trust and the wider community.
Read the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report
Connected Kingston
Connected Kingston is an online directory helping Kingston residents to find local services and activities. Whether you are seeking mental health support, want to know more about activities in Kingston for disabled people, or are looking for support to live independently, Connected Kingston has a wealth of information about local services that can support you.
National Resources and Events
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Good Practice Guide
The NHS Staff Council Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group has produced a comprehensive guide aimed at EDI leads, HR professionals, and trade union representatives. This guide includes information on training objectives, content outlines, understanding bias, and strategies for embedding EDI within organisations.
Inclusion and Wellbeing Calendar 2025
Dorset HealthCare has developed an Inclusion and Wellbeing Calendar for 2025, highlighting various celebration days, weeks, months, and religious festivals throughout the year. This tool aids in planning events and activities that promote inclusivity and awareness
NHS Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Improvement Plan
NHS England's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan outlines six high-impact actions to address discrimination and bias. These actions include setting specific EDI objectives for leadership, embedding fair recruitment processes, and ensuring accountability at all organisational levels.
How you can get involved
- Provide Feedback: Share your experiences with Healthwatch Kingston to help improve health and care services in our community. Take five minutes to have your say.
- Volunteer: Healthwatch Kingston are the local champion for health and social care. It is our mission to address health inequalities by putting the patient voice at the heart of health and social care. Find out more about how you can get involved by volunteering.
- Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with local developments in health and social care by signing up the Healthwatch Kingston newsletter. Sign up for updates.
Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Week is a time to celebrate progress, acknowledge challenges, and commit to continuous improvement in creating inclusive health and care environments. At Healthwatch Kingston, we believe that by working together, we can ensure that every member of our community receives the care and respect they deserve.
