Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) together with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) has published a joint Statement of Strategic Intent focusing on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

The statement represents the first step towards a joint Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy which will be launched in November this year.

As the independent inspectorates and regulators of healthcare, social care and childcare in Wales, the two bodies work to improve the quality and safety of these services for the people of Wales.

Both say they want to help improve people’s access to and the quality of their experience of these services, believing that ensuring they have a strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion within their work will support them to achieve this aim.

As inspectorates and regulators, the bodies state they will:

• Strengthen the focus on equality and diversity in work and where they find inequalities we will challenge and report on this
• Improve engagement with diverse communities so they have a strong voice and influence in their work.
• Build both organisations so they are inclusive and representative.
• Build a more diverse workforce that reflects the communities they serve.

Chief Executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, Alun Jones said: “Inequality should play no part in how services are designed or delivered. We recognise the important role our organisations play within these sectors and the wide-reaching nature of both areas for so many people across Wales. We will call out and challenge inequality in services wherever we find it, to ensure fairer and better outcomes for people.”

CIW, Chief Inspector Gillian Baranski, added: “With this statement of strategic intent, we reaffirm our commitment to challenge ourselves and the sectors we work with, to be more equal, more diverse and more inclusive in the way we work and the way in which healthcare, social care and childcare is provided.”

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