Every public sector healthcare provider has a duty to ensure that its policies do not lead to unlawful discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations.

All GP practices offering NHS services in England and Wales are required to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

The Equality and Human Rights Commission EHRC has published new advice to help embed equality considerations in the NHS services they provide.

This guidance contains more information on how GP practices can comply with the PSED.

This is a reminder that you can raise any work-related issues or concerns in a private and confidential manner by emailing your Freedom to Speak Up Guardian at pcftsu.guardian@nhs.net.

You can choose to remain anonymous if you prefer. The goal is to support you during challenging times, help you voice concerns, and ensure the protection of both you and your colleagues. It also provides an opportunity to learn from these situations and share the lessons to prevent similar incidents in the future.

One common concern raised through our FTSUG inbox is microaggressions. These are everyday actions—whether intentional or unintentional—that convey hostile, derogatory, or negative messages towards an individual or group based on aspects of their identity, such as race, disability, gender, and more.

Microaggressions can be grouped into three main categories: Verbal, Behavioural, and Environmental. For more information on the definition and how to address these behaviours as an Active Bystander, please refer to the resources here.