Listening, learning and acting: Our progress on equality, diversity and inclusion

Everyone should be able to access health and social care services that meet their needs and treats them fairly, with dignity and respect.

In 2024, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) published their Joint Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2024-2028. The strategy sets out our shared commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across our work as Wales' independent inspectorates and regulators of healthcare and social care services. 

Since publishing the strategy, both HIW and CIW have made progress in strengthening how EDI is reflected in the way both organisations inspect, regulate and engage with people and communities across Wales. While our roles differ across healthcare and social care, we remain committed to delivering the shared ambitions set out in the strategy and ensuring that people's experiences, rights and voices are at the heart of our work.

Strengthening equality, diversity and inclusion in our work

We have strengthened how EDI is considered within our inspection, assurance and regulatory activity. Across healthcare and social care, EDI considerations are increasingly embedded within our methodologies, guidance, evidence gathering and reporting processes. This helps us better understand the experiences of people from different backgrounds and communities and identify where barriers, inequalities or differences in outcomes may exist.

We have also increased our focus on reporting and sharing findings relating to EDI and human rights. This helps to highlight good practice, identify areas for improvement and support services to deliver more equitable care and support.

Using better information to improve our understanding

Both organisations have continued to improve how we collect, analyse and use information about people's experiences and protected characteristics.

Through surveys, engagement activities, inspection evidence and feedback from the public, we are strengthening our understanding of how different groups experience health and social care services. This enables us to identify emerging issues, understand where inequalities may exist and ensure that our work is informed by evidence as well as lived experience.

Improving the quality and use of equality information will remain an important area of focus as we continue to develop our approaches.

Listening to a wider range of voices

Engaging with people, communities and organisations is essential if we are to understand the experiences of those who use health and social care services.

We have continued to strengthen our engagement with community groups, representative organisations, stakeholders and people with lived experience. More than 2,300 patients, carers, staff and stakeholders helped shape HIW's new Strategy 2026–2030. During 2025/26, CIW received 7,019 completed feedback surveys about registered services and 2,424 responses to our surveys about local authority social services.

Through advisory groups, stakeholder networks, engagement events and targeted outreach activity, we are ensuring a broader range of perspectives helps inform our work and future priorities.

This engagement has improved our understanding of issues affecting different communities, including barriers to access, communication needs and the experiences of groups whose voices are not always heard. It is helping us to ensure our inspections, reviews and improvement activity are informed by the experiences of the people who matter most.

Improving accessibility

Improving accessibility remains a priority for both organisations.

We have continued to strengthen our commitment to bilingual communications, plain language, digital accessibility and accessible formats. This includes improvements to our websites, publications, online resources and communications, helping ensure information is accessible to as many people as possible.

We have also expanded the range of ways in which we communicate, including the use of Easy Read materials, digital content, videos and social media, helping us reach a wider and more diverse audience across Wales.

Creating inclusive workplaces

We continue to invest in learning and development to strengthen understanding of EDI and human rights across our organisations.

This includes training, awareness raising activities, opportunities to learn from people with lived experience and initiatives that encourage discussion and learning among staff. Our internal EDI Champion networks also continue to support awareness, learning and discussion across our organisations. We are also continuing to work with Welsh Government and other partners to improve our understanding of emerging equality issues and ensure that our knowledge and approaches continue to develop.

Creating inclusive workplaces helps us better reflect and understand the diverse communities we serve and strengthens our ability to regulate and inspect effectively.

Looking ahead

While we have made good progress, we recognise that there is more to do.

During the next phase of the strategy, we will continue to strengthen how EDI and human rights are embedded in all our work. This will include improving how we use equality data and evidence, increasing opportunities for people with lived experience to influence our work, and continuing to improve accessibility, engagement and inclusion across both organisations.

By continuing to listen, learn and act, we aim to better understand people's experiences, identify inequalities where they exist and support improvements in the quality, safety and inclusivity of health and social care services across Wales.