Commitment to equality and human rights

We believe that for the PSI to flourish as an organisation, it must acknowledge and embrace differences, both amongst its staff and its stakeholders. Our organisation's values underpin our commitment to a person-centred approach to our work, including a commitment to equality and human rights in how we fulfil our public service role. We believe all staff and stakeholders can, and should, rely on the PSI to treat them in a respectful, dignified manner, free from discrimination.

Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty is a legal requirement on public bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity, and protect human rights, for employees, service users, members, and policy beneficiaries.

We recognize that our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is not just a legal obligation but a fundamental aspect of who we want to be. We will ensure that we take an equality and human rights lens to all the work we do.

Our equality and human rights values of respect, inclusion and voice guide our actions and decisions helping us understand the potential and actual impacts our policies and practices are having on people from the groups protected under the equality legislation. We have developed an Equality and Human Rights Values Statement that frames our implementation of the Public Sector Duty.

Equality and Human Rights Values Statement

We are committed to promoting the values of equality, embracing diversity and inclusivity in all areas of our work, as a regulator, a public service body, and an employer. Our equality and human rights values statement identifies the values that motivate our concern for equality and human rights in the PSI, providing a frame for our work to implement the Duty.

This statement underpins our implementation of the Duty. We use the statement to:

frame our assessment of equality and human rights issues, to ensure a comprehensive approach;
capture and benchmark our ambition in implementing the Duty;
offer an accessible language to support and communicate our work to implement the Duty; and
drive our ambitions to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect human rights.

Respect

Respect is about dignity, compassion, kindness, and transparency, and involves treating people fairly and with openness and honesty.

Statement of Priority: We strive, within our role and remit, to remove barriers experienced by the identified groups and ensure their fair and equal access to services and employment within our organisation and across the sector we regulate.

Statement of Process: We work in a manner that is transparent and person-centred, meeting people from the identified groups where they are at; we are knowledgeable and informed about the issues affecting them; and we encourage and enable their feedback on such issues.

Inclusion

Inclusion is about accessibility, and recognising, embracing and valuing diversity, adapting for specific needs that flow from diversity and ensuring everyone counts.

Statement of Priority: We strive, within our role and remit, to ensure a presence of people from the identified groups in our organisation and in the sector we regulate, and to foster a culture that values the diversity of experience and perspective across the identified groups in our organisation and across the sector we regulate.

Statement of Process: We work in a manner that understands the needs specific to the identified groups; we are flexible and agile in adapting to meet these needs and remove barriers; and we engender a culture of dialogue about difference where there is trust and people feel safe in disclosing their needs.

Voice

Voice is about having a say, being heard, and being involved in decision-making. It involves representation, collaboration, and co-production, whereby people from the diversity of groups have influence, are empowered and feel their perspective matters.

Statement of Priority: We strive, within our role and remit, to ensure representation for the identified groups on panels, committees, working groups, and through patient and public involvement in our work; and establish processes of empowerment, co-production and collaboration where we engage with the identified groups behind common goals, both in our organisation and across the sector we regulate.

Statement of Process: We work in a manner that engages with the identified groups; we tailor the approach in our engagement to ensure their full and effective participation; we empower their participation in decision-making; and give feedback on their engagement and illustrate its impact in our actions on foot of this engagement.

Our implementation plan sets out how we will assess and address equality and human rights issues in the organisation. It contains the values statement and shares our assessment of equality and human rights issues relevant to our role.

PSI Implementation Plan

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group

The PSI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group was established in 2019. It acts as the driver for the implementation of the Duty, taking steps to:

Prepare an annual action plan for implementing the Duty and enabling its implementation.
Support and monitor implementation of the annual action plan by the relevant sections of the organisation.
Support and monitor an organisational engagement with the specific values of respect, inclusion and voice.
Prepare an annual report on progress made in implementing the Duty and achievements in addressing the equality and human rights issues

Why Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Matters to the PSI

For the public: Our dedication to EDI enhances the quality of services we provide to the public and ensures patient safety. By understanding and addressing the diverse needs of the communities we serve, we can deliver more effective and responsive solutions.
For our registrants: By promoting EDI we ensure that our regulatory practices are fair, transparent and accessible to all. This helps build trust and confidence in our regulatory processes, ensuring that everyone is treated equitably.
For our organisation: Embracing EDI helps us attract and retain top talent, drive innovation, and improve decision-making processes. It also ensures we create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected and where all staff members can thrive regardless of their background, identify or circumstances.
For our stakeholders: A commitment to EDI strengthens our relationships with the stakeholders and communities we serve, fostering trust, respect and collaboration.
For society: Promoting EDI contributes to a fairer, more equitable society where everyone feels heard and has the opportunity to succeed.

We are proud to uphold the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring that our equality and human rights values are reflected in everything we do.