At East of England Ambulance Service we are committed to supporting all staff and recognise that staff with disabilities (temporary or permanent), or those who may be developing a disability, may require additional support to enable them to remain in the workplace.

As a Disability Confident employer we have made a commitment to not only abide by the essential actions, but wherever operationally possible, to go beyond any statutory legal requirement to support applicants and existing staff to be part of our workforce.

What does Disability Confident mean?

Disability Confident is about creating a movement of change, encouraging us all to think differently about disability and take action to improve how we recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

We are one of over 18,000 organisations who have signed up to be Disability Confident, to commit to changing attitudes, behaviour and culture for the better to help us:

• recruit and retain great people
• draw from the widest possible pool of talent
• secure high quality staff who are skilled, loyal and hard working
• improve employee morale and commitment by demonstrating that we treat all employees fairly
• help our service users identify us as an employer who is committed to equality in the workplace.

What do we do to demonstrate we are Disability Confident?

We have signed up to the following commitments:

1. Ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible

By:

• ensuring against discrimination

• making job adverts accessible

• providing information in accessible formats (for example, large print)

• accepting applications in alternative formats (for example, electronically

2. Communicate and promote our vacancies

By:

• advertising our vacancies through a range of channels, and using the Disability Confident badge to make sure potential applicants know we are an inclusive employer

• getting advice and support from organisations such as Jobcentre Plus, Work and Health Programme providers

• continuously reviewing our current recruitment processes

3. Offer an interview to disabled people

We encourage applications by offering an interview to an applicant who declares they have a disability.

This does not mean that all disabled people are entitled to an interview. They must meet the minimum criteria for a job (for example, sometimes shown and defined as essential or desirable skills).

The aim of this commitment is to encourage positive action, encouraging disabled people to apply for jobs and provide an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities at the interview stage.

4. Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as required

We have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make 'reasonable adjustments' in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues.

Making reasonable adjustments (such as changes to working patterns, adaptations to premises or equipment and provision of support packages) will ensure disabled workers are not disadvantaged when applying for and doing their jobs.

Whether or not an adjustment has to be made depends on how 'reasonable' it is - and that's something that will hinge on the individual circumstances of each case.

Many adjustments are straightforward and easy to carry out - particularly if there's been a little lateral thinking about how an accommodation can be reached. Often these adjustments will cost nothing or very little.

5.Support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long term health condition, enabling them to stay in work

By:

• encouraging employees to be open and to discuss access and support needs

• making sure that employees know that, should they acquire a disability or should an existing disability or health condition worsen, every effort will be made to enable them to continue in their current job or an alternative one

• providing support for existing employees who become disabled or experience health problems, for example, through occupational health sessions, offering flexible working patterns and offering home working

• providing workplace adjustments as necessary to support staff, including applications to Access to Work for advice and financial support

How do we ensure appropriate disability equality awareness at EEAST?

We promote a culture where our employees feel confident and safe to disclose and talk openly about any disability or long-term health condition and to feel supported in the workplace.

We recognise there may be some conditions which some employees may be particularly sensitive about sharing, and we work with them to find ways in which they can feel comfortable to disclose.

At EEAST, our Disability Support Network provides a safe, inclusive and supportive forum for our employees with disabilities or who support someone with a disability, be it a colleague, family member or friend or an employee who wants to learn more about disabilities.

Disability Awareness is part of our mandatory Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training

We generate positive messages in company literature, such as policies, statements and plans, and encourage employees to speak out and challenge any negative images or prejudicial statements via their line manager, Human Resources or our Freedom to Speak Up Guardian.

Where can I access more information about this?

You can access our Trust Disability Policy on our website.

You can find out more information about Disability Confident Employers.

You can get support and help in work if you have a disability or health condition.