Equality, diversity and inclusion

We aim to be effective in capturing and listening to relevant and appropriate voices, especially including people who feel isolated or excluded by geography, ethnicity, sexual identity, culture, technology or poverty.

Our definitions

Equality

Equality involves ensuring everyone has equal opportunities and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of the following characteristics:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation.

Diversity

Diversity refers to representation, and an understanding that each individual is unique, taking into account and valuing the differences between people and groups of people.

Inclusion

Inclusion involves deliberate action to meet the needs of different people, so everyone feels and is respected, valued and safe. It includes cultural and environmental belonging, where everyone feels respected and valued for who they are and there is equal opportunity to connect and contribute.

Our priorities

We recognise health inequalities and the wider determinants of health create numerous barriers to successful ageing. Inequalities based on material disadvantage, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity and place of residence are commonplace, as is ageism.

The priorities underpinning our programme are:

• Addressing health inequalities in our research priorities.
• Reducing inequalities in health and the promotion of equitable access to health and care.
• Delivering research evidence to policy makers with reflects the diversity of the population.
• Addressing inequality at every level of our research, design, conduct and governance.
• Adopting a proactive and flexible approach in our engagement and inclusion, as well as in capturing and listening to relevant and appropriate voices through research participation, research outputs and impact.

Development of a novel approach for consideration of health inequality/inequity in evidence synthesis

Patience Kunonga is a member of our team who is currently working towards a PhD looking at the development of a novel approach for consideration of health inequality/inequity in evidence synthesis. This research focuses on ensuring evidence synthesis approaches, common in health and social care policy development and implementation consider equality and inequality. Recent publications from Patience’s work are listed below:

• Kunonga TP, Spiers GF, Richmond C, Beyer FR, Bower P, Hanratty B, Craig D. Health interventions and the unseen impact on equality. The Lancet Healthy Longevity 2023, 4(1), E8-E9.
• Kunonga TP, Hanratty B, Bower P, Craig D. A systematic review finds a lack of consensus in methodological approaches in health inequality/inequity focused reviews. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 2023, 156, 76-84.

Patience presented her work at the first Cochrane Methods Equity Webinar on 17.01.24:

We also adhere to the practices and principles outlined in the INVOLVE Practical Guide to Being Inclusive in Public Involvement in Health Research (PDF). As well as align our work to the UK Standards for Public Involvement.

Hear from some of our valued Experts by Experience in this YouTube video:

Engaging Older People in Policy Research

Equality impact assessments

We undertake equality impact assessments regularly to assess all our current projects against our overarching principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. By doing so, it provides us with insight into research areas where greater focus and attention is required, both as we co-develop and co-create the PRUs programme of work but also in our role in influencing new more inclusive practice.