Industrial action

There are currently no changes to our services as a result of industrial action by resident doctors. Please continue attend your appointments as planned.

Our Quality and Safety Standards

At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, the quality and safety of your care are our highest priorities. There are national and local standards, policies and procedures to ensure you have the best possible outcomes and experience.

We adhere to the NHS Constitution for our standards and waiting times. We are inspected and regulated by national organisations who ensure we provide services to expected levels and meet our commitments within the National Health Service. We also take very seriously the feedback we get from patients and visitors and respond to concerns when they arise.

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Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 replaced previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995) with a single Act. The Act simplified the law, removed inconsistencies and strengthened the law to help tackle discrimination and inequality.

For more information about the Equality Act 2010 click here

Useful Documents:

Collection and Use of Patient Protected Characteristic Information

As a Trust, we are committed to delivering safe, fair, and high-quality care to every patient. A key part of achieving this is through the collection and use of Protected Characteristic information, as defined under the Equality Act 2010.
These include:
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Ethnicity
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender reassignment
  • Religion or belief
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Marriage or civil partnership.

Why we collect this information
1. Equity of Care – Helps identify and address any inequalities in access, experience, or outcomes for different patient groups.
2. Improving Patient Safety and Experience – Enables us to see if particular groups are facing recurring issues, discrimination, or barriers to care.
3. Accountability and Transparency – Demonstrates our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and ensures we meet our legal duties.
4. Service Planning and Improvement – Ensures our services and resources reflect the diverse needs of our communities.

Where we collect this information
1. Patient Records – Helps identify and address any inequalities in access, experience, or outcomes for different patient groups.
2. Improving Patient Safety and Experience – Enables us to see if particular groups are facing recurring issues, discrimination, or barriers to care.

How we use and protect this information
• Data is stored securely in line with NHS data protection standards.
• Information is used only for monitoring, analysis, and service improvement.
• Data is anonymised when analysed or reported.