The Department of Health has published a guide to doing equality impact statements for service developments; this is part of meeting the duty on public bodies to promote equality and avoid discrimination. Voluntary sector hospices do not have this duty, but they would want to ensure equality etc, too. Wouldn’t they? EqIAs (the jargon abbreviation – you should learn this one, you know you’ll be better for it) involve looking at new developments to make sure they do not discriminate and do promote equality.

The trouble is that voluntary sector organisations do not have the staff or resources to spend the time to do this for everything they do. So a free gift from me: I think the most important tip contained therein is the suggestion to think about possible effects or impacts on equality before you start doing anything and incorporate equality thinking into everything you do, so that it becomes as natural as British Summer Time (that was a joke). Then you’ll focus before you start on doing things to promote equality. It might not be as good as an EqIA, but it’s cheaper and better for the soul.

If you want to learn how to do them, though: Department of Health (2008) Equality Impact Assessment: Summary: Tool and Guidance for Policy Makers. London: DH.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_090396