WIREDGOV

We've published a report about the progress we've made during 2025/26, in the first year of delivering our equality objectives for 2025 to 2029.

The report highlights how we're working to better understand and respond to inequalities in health and social care. It shows how we're listening more closely to people whose voices are often unheard, strengthening how we use equality data, embedding equity and human rights in our regulation, and continuing to build a more inclusive workplace.

Our equality objectives aim to:

1. amplify the voices of people more likely to have a poorer experience of care
2. develop systems to gather equality data to improve how we understand and respond to equality risks
3. improve equality by using our regulatory and monitoring activities
4. deliver on our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy for our workforce.

Important developments include strengthening how we hear from people and communities through our Experts by Experience and Public Engagement Network, how we collect and use equality data and how we are developing our new assessment frameworks to keep a focus on the people who need the most improvement in health and care services.

Professor Bola Owolabi, Chief Inspector of Primary Care and Community Services, said:

Everyone deserves equal access, equal treatment, and equally good results from care. As a regulator, we do not see equality as just a box to tick. It is the foundation of safe, high-quality and person-centred care.

We have made real progress this year in turning our goals into action. However, reducing inequalities and protecting people's rights requires intention, commitment and continuous improvement. This cannot be treated as a separate project. Instead, we are building these principles into our daily work, our inspections and how we exercise our statutory functions.

While we have made important progress, we know there is more to do. The report sets out our priorities for the coming year as we continue working to tackle inequalities, improve people's experiences of care, ensure that we build an inclusive and fair organisation, and ensure equity and human rights remain central to how we deliver our purpose.