2.5.1 The PSED in practice
Here are some illustrative examples of how public bodies might show due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty:
A local authority reviews data on access to adult education and finds that older Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women are less likely to attend digital skills courses. In response, it funds community-based sessions with translation support and flexible timings to meet both cultural and caregiving needs.
A city council is redesigning a public park and consults with older disabled residents and LGBTQ+ older people. Based on their feedback, it improves pathways for mobility aids, installs accessible toilets, and creates inclusive community spaces where everyone feels welcome.
Before launching a new healthcare initiative, a local health board conducts an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) and identifies that older men from low-income and rural backgrounds have poorer access to mental health services. They adapt the policy by introducing local outreach clinics and transport assistance to reduce these inequalities.
Key points to remember:
- The PSED is a legal duty on public bodies in Wales and not meeting it can create risks for public body, including the possibility of legal challenge.
- The PSED places a positive duty on public bodies in Wales to actively consider the needs and experiences of people with protected characteristics, including older people, when designing policies, delivering services, and making decisions, and to build equality considerations into their work from the outset rather than treating them as an afterthought.
- The PSED encourages public bodies to make better informed, fairer decisions by understanding how their actions may affect different groups and taking steps to eliminate and/ or reduce avoidable disadvantage.
- The PSED is about process, not outcomes. Public bodies must show they considered equality, even if the final decision isn’t perfect for all groups