Our principles

Suggested actions

People who commit to standing up for equity, are likely to:

• Educate ourselves on diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Seek to understand and reflect on our biases

• Speak up for equity and challenge discrimination

• Support initiatives that promote fairness.

Resources

• Watch How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly towards them

• Take the Project Implicit test to reveal your unconscious bias

• Read the Innovator Guide to Health Equity by Kent, Surrey & Sussex Health Innovation Network

• Watch Andy Callow, chief digital and information officer at Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, discuss his experience of learning about how to be anti-racist

Expert

Professor Joy Warmington
Equity researcher and educator
Connect on LinkedIn

Partner
The Federation for Informatics Professionals in Health and Social Care

Suggested actions

Leaders, teams & organisations championing equity, are likely to:

• For those in leadership positions, lead by example through values and behaviours

• Embed equity into organisational strategy and track progress.

• Align team objectives with these goals

• Recognise and support teams and individuals who champion equity.

Practical resources

Read NHS Race and Health Observatory: Seven Anti-Racism Principles

Visit Wellcome's anti-racist principles, guidance and toolkit

Expert
Monique Carayol
Connect on LinkedIn
Leadership and equity advocate

Partner

Suggested action

Organisations which promote equity in policy & practice are likely to:

• Develop a framework by which all local policies are scrutinised through an Equality Impact Assessment lens 

• Facilitate opportunities to share the Equity Charter with parliamentarians and policy-makers

• Use the opportunities when engaging with policy-makers to ensure equitable practice within digital health

Partner

NHS Confederation

Suggested actions

Organisations which promote equity in digital strategy & tranformation, are likely to:

• Have an organisational (digital) strategy which explicitly incorporates equity 

• Ensure activities arising from the strategy incorporate equity.

• For public sector organisations, an Equality Impact Assessment of the strategy and related programmes

Expert

Carolyn Barkin
Health and policy strategist
Connect on LinkedIn

Douglas Hamandishe
Digital equity policy adviser
Connect on LinkedIn

Partner
Ethical Healthcare

Suggested actions

Organisations which promote equity in the workforce, are likely to:

• Provide support for line managers around cultural competence to recognise and tackle unconscious bias

• Monitor equity of access to development opportunities at all levels, and take steps to address disparities

• Regularly collect and review data on the demographic composition of senior teams, organisational retention rates, and staff wellbeing feedback, with clear action plans to address gaps

• Continually review current recruitment to embed inclusive practices, covering advertising posts, assessing applicants and interviews

Expert
Yinka Makinde
Diversity and inclusion specialist
Connect on Linkedin

Partner
Shuri Network

Suggested actions

Organisations which embed equity in research and innovation, are likely to:

• Develop and track metrics that measure the inclusion of diverse groups in digital health research and innovation

• Ensure digital research considers and addresses health disparities and improving outcomes for underserved communities

• Involve patients and the public at all stages, including shaping digital research and innovation priorities.

Expert
Professor Natasha Phillips
Health research leader
Connect on Linkedin

Partner
Health Innovation Network

Suggested actions

Organisations which design equitable digital products and services, are likely to:

• Conduct inclusive user research which ensures diverse voices are heard in the design process

• Adhere to recognised accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG (web Content Accessibility Guidelines) in all phases of development

• Implement universal design principles for accessibility and usability across different abilities and needs

• Continuously evaluate and monitor equity impact to identify and correct disparities in access and use

Practical resources

Read Digital Health Equity: Churchill Fellowship report (Joe Kallarackal), Practical insights on designing digital health tech for marginalised communities.

Expert
Michael Watts
Digital inclusion and design specialist
Connect on Linkedin

Suggested actions

Organisations which promote equity in procurement and contracting, are likely to:

• For public sector organisations, go beyond the minimum 10% in sustainability and social value and hold suppliers accountable through contracting

• Prioritise diversity and inclusion in supplier selection (including supply chain) by targeting diverse vendors and SMEs

• Ask if vendors adhere to the principles in this charter and ask them to provide evidence to back this up

• Integrate equity into contract terms by ensuring suppliers are held accountable for equitable practices and inclusive policies

• Conduct regular audits to evaluate and improve the equity impact of procurement and contractin

Practical resources

Read Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex: Commissioner Guide to Health Equity

Expert
Steve Dunkerley
Procurement and health equity adviser
Connect on Linkedin

Suggested actions

Organisations which promote equity in the use of data and design of algorithms, are likely to:

• Design algorithms and collect data with equitable outcomes  in mind

• Develop and publish clear documentation about design of algorithms, how they work, their real world impacts and limitations

• Be transparent about the use of systems for bias detection and put in place learning systems to review and mitigate inequitable outcomes

• Apply the Standing Together recommendations (and for funders and commissioners, require those you fund to apply them)

Expert
Maxine Macintosh
Data equity and ethics specialist
Connect on Linkedin

Partner
Standing Together

Suggested actions

Organisations which promote equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for underserved communities, are likely to:

• Tailor digital health interventions to the unique needs of underserved communities by understanding their specific health priorities and involving communities

• Improve access to quality digital health services by removing barriers that prevent their use

• Focus on social determinants of health by addressing broader factors like housing, food security, and education that impact health outcomes

Practical resources

Read How Racism Affects Health: The Health Foundation 2005\

Expert
Rubi Gubara-Sannie
Community health equity advocate
Connect on Linkedin

Partner
Healthwatch