Equality, diversity and inclusion

The College commits to: 

• review the data we collect and identify where we may be able to collect additional relevant data
• make use of the data we have to understand where we are now with regard to EDI, and to identify targets for change and ways to measure progress toward objectives
• identify the gaps in the data we hold, and work with others to find ways to fill the gaps where ever possible
• work with partners across the profession to identify what data is held, and how it can safely be shared, while respecting the interests and rights of the data subjects
• work with partners to identify gaps in the data currently collected, and develop solutions to enable those gaps to be filled where possible
• monitor and report data as openly and transparently as regulations allow
• work with others to establish a cross-sector working group on EDI data collection and use

The College commits to: 

• offer training to our staff, Board and Council members on equality, diversity, difference, bystander apathy and unconscious bias
• work with partners to develop and deploy model strategies, policies and processes that members can use
• using our CPD channels, develop and provide career development programmes to support members to offer local and regional mentoring and coaching
• explore the scope for additional leadership training modules with our CPD programmes
• consult with the profession and sector partners as part of our work to scope the potential value, impact and viability of recognition schemes (for example, inclusive practices, local charters and EDI awards)
• engage with employers to ensure clear channels of communication are open and used, and the members of the profession are in no doubt as to the importance that the College places on employers providing safe, progressive and EDI compliant work places

The College commits to: 

• encourage existing Board and Council members to play an active role in mentoring and sponsoring staff with characteristics that are under or unrepresented currently, and who have the potential to get to an executive role
• work with partners in the sector to identify and support effective regional approaches to improving workforce equality (gender, race, disability), encompassing the devolved nations and including different regions of England
• identify and share innovative work that is already being carried out to promote good practice
• work with NHS bodies to ensure that standards and approaches that are applied in secondary care can be replicated in primary and tertiary care settings. Conversely, where there is good practice and effective standards in primary care settings, the College will work to promote and share this
• work with the profession to share stories about the benefits of making full use of the diverse eye health workforce, and to ensure that the lessons from these stories are embedded within key future workforce policies and strategies for the optometry profession, and the wider sector

The College will:

• work to implement actions and interventions identified by the Council, Board and HR team as being required internally to develop our performance with respect to EDI within the College
• work with the profession (via our membership), and the wider sector, to identify appropriate actions, based on the evidence we have collected with our partners. We will use this to develop interventions that address EDI challenges identified within the profession of optometry, and advocate for actions and interventions for the wider sector of eye health
• work with our partners, where possible, to develop interventions for areas of the eye health sector may have historically received less attention, supported by the evidence gathered in the discovery stage
• promote and lead on the use of sophisticated and longer-term evaluation of EDI interventions to determine their effectiveness across different contexts within the profession, and working with partners, the wider eye health sector
• work with other organisations across the sector to harmonise data collection methods across different parts of the eye health sector, as far as is practicable, and develop overarching EDI benchmarking data that is openly published and accessible, while rigorously protecting the anonymity of individuals
• scope potential ways to encourage, recognise and reward individuals and organisations leading on EDI in optometry and eye health