Since December 2006, there has been a legal duty on all public sector organisations to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. The Disability Equality Duty (DED) covers the full range of what public sector organisations do - including policy making and services that are delivered to the public.

People who work in the public sector have a legal duty to consider the impact of their work on disabled people, and to take action to tackle disability inequality. This should mean that disabled people have better employment opportunities and do not come across discrimination when, for example, using a service. It should also help promote positive attitudes towards disabled people in everyday work and life.

Many of the partners within the RET are drawn from the public sector and we acknowledge the need to ‘put our own house in order' whilst encouraging others to do so.

Given the enormity of the work this will involve we have identified the NHS, and specifically Primary Care Trusts and Mental Health Trusts, as the organisations to target initially. Our rationale for this is their role as commissioners and front line providers of services for people with mental health problems, and, that they should therefore act as exemplars for people with mental health problems seeking to gain and /or retain employment.