Equality Impact Assessments

(EIAs) are tools for identifying the actual or potential impact of Magna’s activities, both existing and new, on its residents and staff. They help us provide fair services by identifying whether our policies and procedures have different impacts, both positive and negative, on particular diversity groups, e.g. race, gender, age, disability.

EIAs can help staff provide and deliver excellent services by making sure that these better reflect the needs of our residents.

Early in 2009, MHA identified a priority list of approximately 60 policies and procedures that most impacted on residents. To date, approximately 80% of the priority list have had EIAs carried out, including a number in consultation with our residents.

Our EIA template has been designed to pick up any actions that may be required to specific policies and procedures. Actions are regularly, monitored and reviewed.

As a result of the EIA, three action plans have been put into place during the last quarter year.

Former Tenants Arrears Policy

Actions:

Review the policy in conjunction with residents. (Result - residents introduced a limit on the time that we chased debts for.)

Review the Former Tenants Arrears Procedures, as required by internal audit. (Result - Timescales for the various actions were agreed with residents and incorporated into the procedure.)

Compensation Policy and Procedure

Actions:

Identify what our financial inclusion policy says about people without bank accounts as all compensation was originally paid by cheque. (Result - following the EIA, the procedure was updated to include other methods of payment.)

See if there is a valid reason as to why young people in supported housing do not receive a home loss payment. (Result - despite the reason for the difference being justified, the procedure was changed to ensure that residents affected were not financially any worse off as a result of our actions.)

Racist Incident and Racial Harassment Policy

Action:

Look at monitoring satisfaction with racial harassment cases separate to general ASB satisfaction – this has not yet been completed as targeted to be carried out at the end of Quarter 4.