Consultation opens on draft Equality Action Plan and Draft Disability Action Plan 2025-2030

Date published: 31 March 2025

A commitment in the Department’s Equality Scheme is to carry out an Audit of Inequalities and develop an Equality Action Plan. The draft plan sets out the actions the Department proposes to take to address inequality issues identified from the Audit.

Separately, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, public authorities are required to produce a Disability Action Plan (DAP) showing how they propose to meet the requirement to have due regard to the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Addressing health inequalities is a key area of focus for me. It must be at the heart of health reform and a priority across all parts of government.

“This consultation gives you an opportunity to tell us what you think should be included in our Equality Action Plan and Disability Action Plans for the next five years.

“Everyone will be aware of the extremely difficult financial position we are in and this means that your feedback is even more important in shaping our actions so that we can make best use of the limited resources available to help us address these important matters and do more for people with disabilities.”

The consultation has been published on the Department’s website Consultation on Equality Action Plan and Disability Action Plan | Department of Health .

The closing date is 28 June 2025.

Following this consultation, the Department will produce an analysis of the responses, and the report will be published on the Department’s website in due course.