LEARNING AIM A: Examine principles, values and skills which underpin
meeting the care and support needs of individuals
P1: Explain the importance of promoting equality and diversity for individuals with
different needs
M1: Analyse the impact of preventing discrimination for individuals with different needs
Equality in the health and social care sector means everyone having equal access to the services
they need, that it, receiving a service of equal quality that meets their personal needs, no matter
where they live or how they live their lives. This is not the same as everyone receiving the same
service. For example, everyone has the right to register with a doctor but a seriously or chronically ill
person will need more of the doctor’s time. Treating people as individuals by taking into account
their different beliefs and abilities is crucial when caring for others, and service providers should
acknowledge an individual’s personal beliefs, even if they do not share them. If a person’s religious
beliefs mean they can only eat certain foods or have to pray at a certain time, they would feel
unvalued if a hospital did not accommodate these beliefs, and it might slow down their recovery.
In order to promote equality for disabled people, service providers should consider whether any
changes to their method of care are required. For example, if all areas of their setting are accessible
or if information needs to be provided in alternative formats, such as audio or Braille and if people
need personal care plans as people of all disabilities are entitled to equal care. There’s a great deal
of stigma and ignorance around disability. Also, as a society we have certain stereotypes about how
people should look, speak and conduct themselves, and we assume that people with disabilities
have no passion, aspirations, knowledge, and skills. This needs to change through awareness
campaigns, and knowledge/ implementation of accessible environments. This is a way in which
people with disabilities are not treated with equality which can lead to service users to feel
distressed and dejected because of their disability. However, the Equality Act 2010 can help people
like Nusrat to be treated equally like every other individual is treated like. Nusrat has a learning
disability and therefore requires care to help her with daily tasks. Nusrat needs to be treated with
equality as it will empower her and give her the motivation to do certain things which she may have
thought she was not able to do because of her disability. It should be noted that under the Equality
Act (as with the previous legislation), it is permissible to treat a disabled person more favourably
than a non-disabled person. For example, universities or colleges can give disabled students extra
time to sit an examination which it may deny to a non-disabled person. Equality may be promoted in
Nusrat’s case when her service providers provide her with the opportunities to do things which a
person without a disability can do which will empower Nusrat leading her to feel more content and
less insecure about her disability.
The Equality Act introduces this new protection for disabled individuals. It is now prohibited to treat
a disabled person unfavourably not because of the person's disability itself but because of
something arising from, or in consequence of, the disability, such as the need to take a period of
disability-related absence. It is, however, possible to justify such treatment if it can be shown to be a
proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. For this type of discrimination to occur, the
employer or other person must know, or reasonably be expected to know, that the disabled person
has a disability. Particular attention should be paid to adults who lack the capacity to make decisions
